


A Wisp in the Dark

by H0neySuckle7



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Amnesia, Chosen One, DONT RUN AWAY, Dark, Don’t leave it’s all pre written, Flashbacks, GINNY ISN'T JUST HERE AS A LOVE INTEREST, Ginny’s not bad, Good Ron, Gryffindor, Harry Centric, Harry Potter - Freeform, Harry Whump, Harry can do wandless magic but it was dormant in him, Harry knows some sciency stuff, He a strong boi, Hogwarts, Hufflepuff, Hufflepuffs aren't pointless don’t be HOUSIST, Hurt, Internal Conflict, Magic, Maybe - Freeform, Memory Loss, Other, PTSD, Promise, Ravenclaw, Ron’s an actual good friend my god, Sad Harry, Slight Dumbledore Bashing, Slytherin, Smart Hermione Granger, Sort Of, Tbh Harry is a little godlike, That’s all enjoy, Torture, Wandless Magic, Whump, Wisps, Wizard, and he was previously VERY HOUSIST, as them English professors say, be prepared, because he was trained not to be, because they’re all important, but beware, but he doesn’t kNOW EVERYTHING, but he’s good I swear, cuz she gets a lot of crap, dark harry??, duh - Freeform, eventual rememberance, he drink his milk, he isn’t perfect, he makes Mistakes, hes not all knowing, he’s a human being, he’s not always right in Arguement, he’s not as oblivious but only for like half, i don’t actually know, i don’t think it’s too bad?, i need them hooks, i tried making it realistic, idk - Freeform, im trying, maybe?? - Freeform, might be some drarry might not, minor cussing I think, not bad Ginny, only because of kidnappingTM, please don’t leave trust me, self conflict, she isn’t just here as a love interest, shout out to teachers, slythrerins aren’t evil don’t be housist, specifically english, there are so many tags I’m so sorry, voldemort - Freeform, we don’t actually know, we'll see, what a loser lmao, you'll have to read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2020-07-21 05:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 38,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19996543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/H0neySuckle7/pseuds/H0neySuckle7
Summary: It's just a harmless test. Until it isn't. Harry, after taking the test and passing it, ends up kidnapped. For months with no news people are beginning to lose hope. Until they find him with no memory and out of control magic. How long until the ministry deems him dangerous? Especially when he's not sharing the whole story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little note harry will be a little overpowered later, things like wandless magic and all so if that’s not for you you know what to do. I’ll definitely try toning it down though so that it doesn’t seem like a first grader wrote it Lmaoo.

"That's not true!" Hermione laughed hitting Ron with a rolled up newspaper. 

"It is! It is. Isn't it Harry?" 

Harry's snickering ceased almost immediately and his eyes widened looking like a deer caught in headlights when Hermione turned to him expectantly. "No, I mean... no." 

Hermione huffed triumphantly, obviously missing the blatant lie while Ron rolled his eyes, sharing a barely audible laugh with Harry when she wasn't looking. The train gave a small jolt as it stopped. 

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, almost as if they were having a silent conversation. Their looks bordering pity and concern. They knew Harry's summer was... different to say the least. 

"You'll visit some time over the summer won't you?" Ron asked Harry breaking eye contact with Hermione. 

Harry silently nodded, exiting the compartment. Hermione and Ron shared one last look before following him out.

They didn't have to look to long before hey caught a flash of red hair. 

"Is your uncle not here yet?" Molly asked glancing around before settling on Harry with a smile. 

"No. But I'm sure he's just late." Harry said. She gave him a slightly sad smile and patted his cheek. 

Hermione was talking to Ginny about something, giggling and occasionally glancing around with secretive smirks. About what Harry didn't have a clue. 

"Maybe we could convince Dumbledore to let you stay..." Ron started. 

Harry snorted. 

Just then Hermione came bounding over

"I'll see you sometime over at Ron's house, okay?" Hermione smiled at Harry's nod and gave them both a hug, which Harry could've sworn bruised at least a couple ribs, hesitated about two seconds before giving Ron a quick hug as well, then raced to her parents. 

Moments later he spotted his uncle who was red in the face and turned to the Weasleys. 

"Bye Mrs Weasley. Bye guys." He gave a weak smile. 

"I'll be waiting for your letters mate." Ron said with a smirk. 

"And don't forget—"

"About us!" Fred (George?) ruffled his hair making him give another genuine but still small smile. 

He turned around, lugging his trunk over with a jerk, startling a squawk out of Hedwig. 

"Get in." His uncle said gruffly not bothering to help Harry with his case and ignoring any unordinary thing, as if that would make it nonexistent. 

After a couple of tries Harry got his trunk into the car, resulting in aching fingers and a bump on his head from hitting the trunk roof, and dropped into the passengers seat. His uncle started driving without a word, like ever other year. 

Harry looked out the window as it started to sprinkle. Everything looked slightly darker than normal, with the clouds covering the sky like a blanket. 

10 minutes later, the car gave a lurch and then stopped all together. The front of the car started smoking and his uncle got out muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "stupid boy" and "should've left him there."

Harry narrowed his eyes slightly but brushed it off. He continued staring out the window, tracing the water falling down the glass with his eyes. It was a good ten minutes before Harry noticed something was off. 

Frowning slightly, Harry turned his head to see what was taking so long. He couldn't see his uncle, as the cars hood was obscuring his view. 

Harry opened the door to the car with a small "click" and looked around the hood. The only problem was he still couldn't see his uncle who, if Harry didn't know better, looked as though he'd taken off. But Harry did know better. He wouldn't just leave his car, especially with the threats he'd gotten to take Harry back in. 

Harry turned to look at his surroundings to see where his uncle could've gone, but all that was left was a slight blow in wind and distant car horns. 

He rubbed his hands on his arms in hopes of warming up, suddenly becoming aware of how vulnerable he was out in the open. The Gryffindor part of him decided it was probably nothing serious and he was being silly just standing in the rain. 

Finally making a choice, Harry reached for the car door when he felt a presence behind him, and before he could get inside, the darkness consumed him. 

All that was left in the empty street was a car with its headlights on, door open, and the slight patter of rain. 

|3 MONTHS LATER|

Remus Lupin rubbed his head as he looked at the 'Boy-Who-Lived still missing' message written across the Daily Prophet, a moving picture of Harry laughing with Ron and Hermione. 

He let out a sigh. Even thinking about confronting Sirius today was tiring and frustrating. 

Sirius had refused to accept that there was a chance that Harry might not come back. Even Remus hadn't wanted to accept it but it had been 3 months, practically the entirety of the summer, and they hadn't gotten any leads since... well ever, really. 

But Sirius hadn't given up and was dead set on finding him, like a dog with a bone. 

That would've been funny if he wasn't so upset with Harry's disappearance. 

He heard a knock on the door and looked up. He was currently sitting in a guest room to 12 Grimmauld place with the Weasley's who were in the other room, making quiet conversation with Sirius. 

The Weasley's had been in near hysterics when they heard of Harry's sudden lack of appearance. Ron especially. 

When Ron had first found out he had immediately started trying to scour every place known to man that he thought Harry could possibly be. His parents had ended up unofficially putting him on house arrest because he was getting himself into trouble just to find Harry. 

Sirius was just as bad. He was still a fugitive, but had seemingly forgotten momentarily when he was told of what happened. He had even tried busting down the door and sneaking out as Padfoot to search every corner of the earth. 

Eventually he was calmed down enough to acknowledge that they were somewhat right. Remus had said if the aurors couldn't find him, he wouldn't be able to either, but it was very plain that Sirius had thought differently. 

Remus was brought back to earth when Sirius hesitantly entered the room with a bottle of fire whiskey. 

"Hi."

"Hey." Sirius replied roughly.

Sirius dropped down onto the seat beside him and tilted his head back, taking a sip from the bottle, the golden substance sloshing around. 

They didn't say anything for a long moment. Remus dropped the paper in front of Sirius, almost bitterly. 

It was obvious Sirius knew he did it, but he adamantly refused to look down at it, as of doing so would be accepting its existence 

"You okay?" 

Apparently that had not been the right thing to say, as Sirius slammed the bottle down and rubbed his face with both his hands. 

"No. No I'm not 'okay' Remus. My _godson_ has been missing for _three months.”_

"I know, I miss him too-"

"Really? Because you seem pretty happy with pretending that Harry's never coming back." Sirius said harshly. 

Sirius regret it after he saw Remus' hurt look and his gaze softened. 

"I didn't mean that. I'm just- I'm just terrified that I'm never going to see him again." 

"I am too." He said quietly. "I am. But you've got to take it into consideration. It's awful what happened but if... if he is—gone, we have to accept it Padfoot."

Sirius shook his head, eyes closed and let out a shaky breath.

He looked like he was about to speak when Arthur bust through the door. 

"Harry's been spotted in Knockturn Alley" he said almost erratically. 

The response was instantaneous. Sirius had practically leapt from his chair almost knocking down the bottle residing there. Remus' eyes turned gold as he calmly and more deliberately stood up. 

"Are you sure?" Remus asked hoarsely. 

All Arthur did was nod in response till they heard Sirius floo there. 

"Sirius!" Remus yelled before following him through.

They had floo'd in a luckily empty shop coated in dust. 

"Sirius!" Remus whispered angrily "You can't be here! You're still a criminal." 

"I am finding my godson I'd like to see someone try to stop me." He said fiercely a slight growl to his voice. 

Remus purses his lips but nodded silently, putting a disguise on Sirius with the wave of his wand. 

"You stick by me." Remus ordered as if a mom telling her kid to stay close. 

Sirius looked astonished with Remus' agreement but it quickly dropped from his face. He nodded sharply once before they left the shop, managing to stay in the shadows. 

"We probably should've checked where in Knockturn Alley he was seen." Sirius whispered. 

"Well _someone_ didn't stop to use their head before jumping into a fireplace." Remus countered eyeing Sirius who determinedly looked ahead of him. 

Sirius scoffed and opened his mouth to reply when he saw him. 

He looked worse for wear, circles dark enough to show the lack of sleep he'd gotten and he was much thinner. His hair was mussed up more than usual making him look more like he did in third year (AN cuz everyone can agree that's when he was cutest so shh) but it was him. It was Harry. 

He looked slightly shady, his head down, clutching a worn bag to his side as if it was a lifeline and trembling just enough to notice. 

He had a dark blue hoodie covering his head and clutched a dark but worn green fabric bag as if it was all he had, his eyes darting for an enemy that wasn't there. One time he could swear Harry looked straight at Sirius before his gaze flittered past him. 

"Remus." He whispered not taking his eyes off him in case he evaporated in front of him. 

"What?" He asked exasperated. 

"Look."

Remus caught on and froze as Harry slowly made his way through the crowd.

"Harry." Remus breathed quietly. 

"Harry!" He said now yelling. 

Harry seemed to have heard them because his figure became stiff and his eyes glided to them and he slowed his pace. He looked as if he was calculating them with no recognition in his eyes. 

Once Remus and Sirius started to pick up speed and head in Harry's direction the boys eyes widened and he clutched his bag, taking off in the other direction. 

"What the-" 

"Doesn't matter he's getting away!" Sirius yelled now dragging Remus in sheer panic. 

Remus pulled his hand back. "Go! I'm calling backup!"

Sirius, either wanting to get Harry as quickly as possible or realizing what Remus was saying was the most logical (most likely the former), took off to find Harry. 

"Harry!" He yelled when he saw the bag and black hair. 

Harry cut a corner but grabbed onto a stair railing as if to stop himself from falling in his haste. He looked ahead of him, somewhere Sirius couldn't see, with wide eyes and went to run back the way he came, but Sirius was already blocking the path. 

Harry looked both directions trying to determine where to go, his breathing heavy and glasses fogging up every now and then from his breath. 

Coming close enough, Sirius could now see that backup had come and was blocking the other exit. People were now shouting and whispering excitedly when they caught onto what was happening, some of them going as far as to take pictures, which then caused Harry to wince away before turning his attention back to the threat. 

Harrys breathing wasn't slowing—probably from panic rather than the actual exhaustion from running, and as if seeing there was no other option he closed his eyes. Sirius was about to speak when suddenly Harry seemingly evaporated into black dust. 

"Umm.. what?" Mr. Weasley said out of breath, still looking at where Harry had been. 

"No. No no no!" Sirius yelled angrily. 

"Sirius calm-"

"No! We had him! We had him." Sirius said now bending down, breathless. 

"We had him and he slipped through our fingers."

After a minute of silence Tonks spoke "well why was he running in the first place?" 

No one knew the answer. Because really, if Harry had suddenly gone missing why would he run from them. Didn't he trust Sirius? Or Remus or the Weasley's for that matter? 

"Well he's gone now. I have work to do." One of the aurors stated tactlessly, along with a few others who followed them back to the ministry. 

When the order members got back to Grimmaulds place Hermione and the Weasley's minus Percy, were waiting eagerly. When Arthur gave Molly a look she pulled the children aside to tell them the news, even though they looked like they already knew, their faces falling letting out a breath of disappointment. They were just hoping. 

Hoping Harry would come back. Just like the rest of them.


	2. Chapter 2

"No! I am not just going to 'wait' for Harry to make himself known again! I'm going to look for him, something you _should be doing!"_ Sirius burst angrily after the original adrenaline had worn off. 

"Sirius be rational, Harry-" Remus started, only to be interrupted. 

"Is my godson, and I am _not_ abandoning him!"

"No one said anything about abandoning—"

"We'll find him—"

"What do you call doing nothing about it—"

"If you would all calm down, you would realize there are children present!" Mrs. Weasley said hushed and heatedly. 

The occupants looked to the door where Hermione with teary eyes, Ron with a steely expression, and the twins were standing with wide eyes and pinched expressions. Ginny was no where to be seen. 

"Fred, George could you please take the children upstairs?" Mr. Weasley asked quietly. 

"No. We are included in this just as much as anyone else."

"We deserve to know what's going on with Harry." 

Just the fact that they had a new maturity showed the severity of the situation. 

Remus rubbed his eyes before speaking tiredly "Okay. You're right-"

"They absolutely are not. I will not have my children suffering through our arguement."

"They're already suffering. We all are." Professor McGonagall said somberly. 

"Then there's no need to make it worse!" She said stubbornly. 

"They haven't seen him in months!" 

Mrs Weasleys eyes became pained at Sirius' words before gaining a new vigor. Sirius knew she was stubborn but honestly— 

"They are _my_ children—"

"And Harry is their friend!" Sirius retorted. 

"They don't need the added stress. We can't expect them to deal with this for us!"

"And we're not" Remus finally joined in "we're just informing them of the situation so they aren't stressing over what they don't know." 

Eventually she deflated and wordlessly inviting the kids inside who rushed in before she could change her mind. 

They eagerly waited to hear the upsetting news that the others were not willing to share. 

"So what are we going to do?" Tonks asked finally continuing the conversation. 

"The facts are, that Harry ran. We don't know why, and we don't know what he's gotten himself into-"

"That _Harry_ has gotten into?!"

"Sirius."

Sirius shared a look with Remus that only they could follow and shut his mouth tightly before letting out a distressed sigh and a wave towards the auror. 

Shacklebolt continued "but we do know where he was last. We saw him only hours ago, so it shouldn't be nearly as difficult to track him."

Sirius held his tongue looking rather sick and upset. 

"So there's a chance?" Hermione asked hopefully once the room has quieted. 

"Much more than there was before." 

Nobody said anything, the tension at an all time high. They were all thinking the same thing. 

"Has anyone contacted Dumbledore yet?" Remus asked the room. 

"Whose to say he doesn't know? It's Dumbledore, he probably knew before anyone else." Sirius spoke with a hint of distain. 

"Who says he should know? The test was supervised by him. _Invited_ by him."

"You shouldn't go around making those sorts of accusations Alastor." Professor McGonagall said quickly cutting in, although, she looked like she didn't believe her own words. 

He snorted and then said "It's not an accusation it's a fact. He should've known there would be consequences. Constant vigilance I always say!" 

He scoffed once more before downing his drink. 

"Besides who says it's the tests fault?"

"Don't be so naive Tonks. A month after taking a suspicious test, being one of the few, if any, people to pass, and these people that apparently don't exist show up to talk to Harry and he goes missing? It doesn't add up and you know it." Snape said harshly. 

"If it's anyone's fault it's mine."

"Don't be daft Minerva, you were the one most uneasy about this test." 

"It happened in my classroom. Under my supervision."

"You had no idea. Unfortunately you trusted Dumbledore and he let you down." Snape now looked disappointed and angry in Dumbledore as well. 

They could faintly hear the sound of the black portrait screeching. 

"I think our time would be better spent looking for Mr. Potter than fighting each other like this." Shacklebolt said standing up. No one fought against him like he seemed to have expected and he took off, taking Mad Eye Moody, Tonks, Snape, and McGonagall with him.  
________

It was around 1:42 am when Remus heard shuffling outside his room at Grimmauld place. He listened and eventually heard the sound of a chair scraping backwards, then the sound of someone knocking over a glass. Grabbing his wand he quickly but stealthily snuck downstairs. 

As he passed a room, Hedwig hooted softly making him glance over. she looked worn and sad, and it was only a reminder of Harry's absence but he pointedly ignored that. 

With a sick feeling now in his stomach he continued walking down the faded and dust covered stairs, some of them creaking. 

He could see a faint glow to the room that came from the half moon, papers abandoned after the meeting along with mugs, some empty and stained with coffee others still half full. A dark figure in the corner sniffing the ground. For a second he stood in panic before he realized what it was. 

"You're joking." The figure jumped, wide eyes set on him. 

"You're joking Padfoot." He said annoyed and a little angry, letting his wand fall to his side. He roughly turned on the lights, all stealthiness gone from his posture. 

The dog looked ashamed (rightfully so), as light flooded the room. 

"You were sneaking out." He affirmed rather than questioned. The dog didn't move. 

"What do you expect to find? We have aurors looking everywhere for him. He's Harry bloody Potter, if anyone sees something we'll be the first to know."

The dog once again stayed still, although now he was looking quiet sour, or as sour as a dog could look. 

Sighing he thought carefully about what he was about to say—Merlin knows he couldn't take it back once he's said it. 

"Okay Padfoot, I'm coming. Someone's got to keep you out of trouble." The dogs head whipped up, hope enveloping his entire being. 

"Yes I know, I didn't expect it either. Stay in your dog form and let's go. Before I change my mind." Remus said faintly feeling like he was sneaking out of his dorm again. 

Padfoot happily followed behind him, or rather trotted and Remus turned the light back off before quietly sneaking out the door. 

Unsurprisingly, Padfoot is horrendous at being stealthy. He briefly wonders how he hasn't been caught yet when Padfoot makes another crash. 

"Quiet down will you! We're going to get caught if you keep making all that noise."

Padfoot gives him the worlds worst bitch face. 

"I'm going to strangle you." Remus says without much meaning. "Really I am. How you managed to sneak around all those years at Hogwarts" he scoffed, muttering more to himself than the dog. It was empty threats, they both knew. 

It had been hours since they left the house— if you could call it that— and Remus was starting to question why he'd even believed they might catch a glimpse of him. He was most likely gone the moment he'd caught sight of them. 

Just when Remus was about to suggest heading back there was a crash, but not one from Padfoot. Both their heads turned expecting some sort of animal scurrying through the alley way. Instead they saw raven hair poking out from beside a dumpster. The figure looked to be kneeling, rifling through the bag they'd seen earlier. Both Padfoot and Remus were frozen. 

Before Padfoot could act Remus quickly motioned a clear "no" to Padfoot. Trying to get "leave it to me" across through hand signals was obviously not working. 

As silently as Remus could he put them under a silencing charm. Harry lifted his head and looked around, before lookin back to his bag. 

"Padfoot I know all you want to do is run up to Harry and take him away but we need more back up. We won't be able to catch him with just the two of us. 

Padfoot didn't look happy so Remus tried from a different angle. 

"Look, we need to be smart. Harry ran from us the first time. We don't know why and he might try to run again. We can't risk him getting away Sirius."

Finally, Padfoot seemed to reluctantly agree. 

Remus quickly placed a tracking spell on Harry before very reluctantly backing away, taking Padfoot with him.  
________

"You did what?!" Mrs Weasley shrieked. 

"You weren't doing anything so we decided we would." Sirius said confidently, not regretting his decision what so ever. 

"And—and you agreed to this?" 

"I did." Remus said calmly. 

"Did you find him?" Arthur asked doubtfully. 

"Yes." 

"We placed a tracking charm on him, that's why we're talking to you now, we need to go find him and quickly." Remus glanced towards Ginny who was just getting downstairs. 

Ginny, seeing all of them gathered together and talking seriously, immediately went back up to get the others, her eyes wide. 

Once Ginny had gone back upstairs Mrs. Weasley, who didn't turn to look at Ginny asked "You saw him? You saw Harry?" With watery eyes her anger fizzling out into worry and relief. 

Sirius cleared his throat once not enjoying how emotional Mrs. Weasley had become, and Remus nodded and breathed in deeply. 

"Let's go get our kid." She said choked up. Sirius' mouth turned upward brightly at that, it was the happiest Remus had seen him in a while.  
________

Harry was rummaging through his things when he heard something. He couldn't quiet decipher it, and when he looked up, nothing was there. 

He felt panic and fear, a feeling which had quickly become a constant for him, before he turned back to his belongings. 

He was constantly on edge, afraid they had found him. He saw his hands were shaking, but it wasn't anything new. Once he checked he hadn't lost anything from his run he closed his bag and got up from behind the dumpster. He looked to the street and found it empty, devoid of everything except the crows that passed by every so often. The last person he'd seen had been maybe ten minutes ago. The crowd had slowly dwindled The further up he traveled until he was left alone. Walking quickly, he took in his surroundings. 

The grey brick ground was grimy and the shops had dust covered windows. Everything looked like it was painted in a dull grey, fog dancing through the streets. The lights flickered as he walked under them. It was almost like a ghost town. 

Stepping into an abandoned store he set his stuff down behind the desk. The shop looked dirty, and smelled strange, but it wasn't in horrible conditions considering what it looked like on the outside. Hitching up his bag, he stepped into the room next to it and closing the door. 

Sitting on a torn brown couch he undid the brown buckles to his dark green backpack and pulled out his only belongings—a photograph of two people he'd never met but had found crumpled in his pocket, a stick he’s not quite sure why he kept, some cash he'd found and quickly stashed away, medical supplies he'd stolen from his captors, a bottle filled with a weird, metallic, and gold liquid also from his captors, and a rumpled teddy bear. 

Stuffing it all away, in case he needed to make a quick escape, he put the bag and his belongings back on the dusty table in front of him. 

He laid down on the couch in the middle of the room and after what felt like hours of turning, he fell into a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I'm sorry this chapter is a little shorter! I've put a lot into the idea, foreshadowing and writing to make sure it's a good story. Most of my foreshadowing will probably not he caught because I feel it's really subtle, but other parts might be extremely obvious and I just suck at foreshadowing XD. VERY IMPORTANT: what characters would you guys like to be in a relationship later on?  
> Harry/Ginny  
> Harry/Hermione  
> Harry/Draco  
> Harry/Luna  
> Harry/one of two OG characters (girl or boy)  
> Harry/Other (comment name)  
> Harry/none 
> 
> Whichever has the most votes/comments will really help me decide the relationship. Ty!!! I would rather you comment the relationship choice on Wattpad but you can comment here too. The story will also be published on Wattpad under YellowDistres. <3


	3. Chapter 3

Harry didn't remember much, but he remembered pain. All consuming burning pain. He remembers someone watching, calculating. Like watching a candle burn just to see it melt. Like that was what he was made for. 

On the good days, the quiet days, he remembers laughter. It wasn't much but it was everything for him. Laughter that makes you ache for more and store the memory somewhere safe. He wishes it was still there. 

He remembers red, the kind that's not really red but more like a sunset. He can only place it as red. It comes with feeling brave, happiness and a burning flame. This flame makes him feel peaceful and reminds him of home. 

He also remembers blue and brown. Brown-cloth? Something like cloth—smooth but bunched up. And books. He's always reminded of books. While he can see brown everywhere, everything about it is blue. 

And black. It's not a sad black its never been sad. It was the happiest he can remember. Rough laughs and meaningful conversations. It's gone before it could even begin. 

Feathers. White and gold and beautiful. Understanding. Affection and comfort. 

Red. Brave and cinnamon? 

Blue. Brown. Books. 

Pain. 

He forgets what he desperately wanted to remember.  
________

Harry hated waking like this. Panicky and shaky. He knew he wouldn't be able to walk for at least a couple minutes. 

There were foggy images. A bluish green glow and bright red flashes. There were people with him. Two. Two others. One was shaking almost as much as him. God he missed them. But they were gone. Forever. It didn't matter anyway he would never see their faces again. 

He remembered someone with brown short and ruffled hair standing next to someone with sharp, but light features. He can't remember their names but they're in his head, he can feel them trying to slip from his mind to his tongue. He figures it's just another thing they plucked from his head. 

It was cold, he knew. It made him feel unsafe. He felt impure and scared. He knew what this place was. He had seen them out of the corner of his eye, and a black switch which left him with only the memories they saw fit and an unbearable agony. He didn't want to forget. 

What didn't he want to forget? It had to have been important—he quickly learned if it wasn't essential then there was no point in wishing for it. He wouldn't get it. 

So why would he try to hold onto the memories that would only hurt him? 

His breathing slowed and just when his heart started to beat at a normal pace he heard a noise. A light clinking sound, but just enough to get it erratically beating again.  
________

For the first time in four months, Sirius felt excited. Excited to see Harry, to talk and laugh with him. He hadn't realized how close they had gotten until a month before he lost him, which seemed to just rub salt in to wound. 

Sirius remembered it clearly. He had been at Grimmauld place (obviously because where else could he go) when he heard loud, scuffling downstairs. 

Quietly he grabbed one of the stools in his room and tried sneaking downstairs. Sirius tumbled down a few but luckily didn't make too much sound. He heard cursing and then a hushed "Sirius?" 

Instantly he knew it was Harry and after the shock, and quite honestly, pride, he felt anger. Harry snuck out of Hogwarts? How did he even do that without getting caught? 

It wouldn't be until four months later that he realized how similar he and Harry were. 

"What are you doing here? Do you have any idea how foolish it was to-" 

"I know I know Sirius calm down-"

"Calm down? Harry-"

He stopped at Harry's expression though. He knew Harry wouldn't sneak off unless it was important. Probably. Maybe. 

Harry looked rather upset, his glasses slightly askew and his hair fully disheveled. He looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep. On his robes was soot, probably from the fireplace he'd come from just moments before. 

Months ago, maybe even weeks ago, he would've continued his yelling and berating, or worse he would've simply laughed and congratulated him. Now though, they've grown close. Sirius had to do the worst thing he could've possibly thought of back in his schooling years. He had to grow up. It wasn't as bad as it sounded honestly, and he could confidently say that it was infinitely better than he had imagined. 

He knew Harry, what pushed his buttons, what hurt him, Merlin even his favorite color (red by the way). And judging from his expression, he had to trudge carefully. 

"What is it?" He asked gently, setting the stool down. This was one of the few times Harry had come to an adult, much less him, because he was upset. He had to get this right. 

"I just. Erm-well I-" Harry fiddled with the bottom of his shirt and swayed on his feet, likely out of anxiousness. 

He looked up through his hair which was masking some of his face and ruffled his hair with a frustrated sigh. 

Sirius being the most patient as he ever had wanted to shake Harry into telling him but the risk of putting a wall between the two of them was enough to hold him at bay. 

"I—you always said to come to you if, well, something was, not wrong but just, I just figured maybe I would give it a go and like you said it wasn't a big deal I mean... never mind it was stupid-"

"Hey, no. No it's not stupid if it made you sneak out of Hogwarts. How you even managed I don't know."

With a slightly smug look (the little shit) started "Well I—"

"Uh uh. No evading I'm not completely incompetent." He said in a casual manner. "I know! Of course you're not." Sirius have harry a look, one which clearly told him to _get back on track Harry._

Harry sighed, his shoulders falling. It made Sirius' pang with sympathy for him but he knew it was for the best. 

"I just... Ihduntmre..." 

Sirius just raised an eyebrow and Harry was back to looking like a frustrated teenager. 

"I had. A nightmare." He said blushing crimson and by god he loved this kid. 

"Harry, there's nothing stupid about that. And I'm glad you came to me about this, even if it made you embarrassed which is utterly bollocks, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Harry looked incredibly grateful but he was still biting his lip out of anxiousness. 

"Cmon." 

Harry looked unsure but seeking comfort sat down next to Sirius who put his arm around him and ruffled Harry's hair, pulling all tenseness from him as he leaned against Sirius. 

"A stool?"

"Be quiet brat I panicked." He said fondly not able to stop the smile on his face, any awkwardness leaking out. 

That was the moment Sirius knew he wouldn't let anything or anyone touch a messy hair on his kids head. 

Shaking himself from the memory, he walked down to the dining room of Grimmauld place where he found several order members. 

He could hear faint conversation but couldn't put it together until he got to the bottom of the stairs. 

"It's something we've been working on at the ministry. It's completely temporary and stops working after a day, for safety reasons. It should stop Mr. Potter from using apparation to get away." Kingsley said, showing them a silver cuff like contraption that was connected at each hand so the trapped person couldn't break out. There did seem to be a way to unclick the two from each other though. 

"And it's completely harmless?" Sirius asked suspiciously as he sat in one of the chairs. 

"Yes Padfoot." 

"Okay okay don't get your knickers in a twist Moony." 

"And we still have Mr. Potter's location?" Professor McGonagall asked sounding unattached, though they knew better. 

"Yes."

Looking at each other they seemed to be preparing themselves to follow through with the plan they had set up. 

"Well let's get on with it." Alastor Moody said impatiently, apparating just outside the building Harry seemed to be in. The others followed quickly behind. 

The place looked like it was barely standing, the windows that weren't shattered had a thin layer of dust and the door was barely standing. Checking to make sure they were in the right location they quietly walked towards the house. 

This was likely the most difficult part of the process. If Harry found out they were here he could easily apparate away and if he was smart, would take off the tracking charm. 

They had to get the cuffs on him or he could be lost to them. 

Kingsley motioned towards Tonks to cover the back entrance and be extremely careful, knowing if she wasn't her clumsiness could ruin the entire mission. 

Tonks did as she was told and managed to only bump a metal utensil into a cup. They didn't hear anything and continued forward. Alastor Moody entered the front entrance with Remus and Sirius close behind. 

Moody stopped at the door, most likely to block it if anyone came out. 

Remus seemed to hear something as his head perked up and he breathed in, eyes widening before he nodded. 

Harry was here. 

Kingsley walked to the front seeing as he had the cuffs and quietly got them ready. They heard a scuffle and then complete silence. 

Unnerved and quickly becoming impatient Sirius started pushing towards the front of the line. Remus grabbed his hand and shook his head when they heard another noise, this one coming from the stairs on the other side of the room, which had gone unnoticed. 

"Shit-" Remus said putting the pieces together right before Harry barreled down the stairs that weren't guarded across the room and towards the entrance only to have Moody push him back in. 

Kingsley was across the room in seconds slamming the cuffs on Harry with a loud protest from Sirius. 

_"Let me go!"_ A feral and panicked shout echoed across the room along with instructions from Kinglsey to take Harry to Grimmauld place. 

"Harry it's okay!" Remus tried to get Harry to calm down who turned to them with wide eyes. 

Sirius almost took a step back from shock. Harry was _terrified_ of them. "Harry it's okay" Sirius said in a soft voice putting his hands in a signal of surrender. 

"Let me go! Please!" Harry screamed in an unusually high voice, tugging his arms to the point of his skin breaking. 

"Harry you'll hurt yourself!" Remus grabbed his arms to stop him from tugging them away. Harry only violently recoiled away from him. 

Before it could get more chaotic Alastor apparated himself and Harry back, who was followed by the rest of the group. 

Without saying anything, Harry ripped his arms away from Moody who seemed all to glad to let go of him, causing Harry to stumble back blindly. 

Having nowhere to go Harry just turned to face them again, as if expecting them to attack when his back was turned. 

All of them stood still, not daring to breathe in fear of scaring him off. 

Sirius could hear his heart beating the adrenaline still present. After a second he realized there was also loud thumping coming from the stairs. The children were hurrying down having heard them. 

All Sirius could think was _not now_ when the door slammed open. 

First was Hermione and Ron at the front of the group, then Fred, George, and Ginny, all of them staring at Harry like he was a mythical creature. Harry was also staring at them but rather than relief and disbelief it was confusion and anxiety. 

It was rolling off him in waves as he tried to keep his line of sight in both groups. 

No one said anything for a minute, just staring at each other. Eventually Dumbledore came through the fireplace— _and how does he even know?!_ —and looked at the group. 

"Harry. It's good to see you unharmed." His signature twinkle appearing in his eye for the first time in months. 

"What's going on?" Harry asked quietly, hands in front of him to protect himself from them. Sirius could see him quivering slightly. 

"That's what we're wondering." Remus murmured placidly. 

Harry's eyes flicked across the room, taking in each occupant. 

"Right the five of you, upstairs." Mrs Weasley said herding them up like sheep. 

"But mum—" 

"We deserve—"

"Upstairs! Now!" She said loudly. Hermione looked worriedly over at Harry which only aroused his confusion before gathering them and heading upstairs who followed reluctantly. 

"Right, listen, we need answers. Like where you've been the last four months and why you've been running. The wizarding world is in a panic so you've better have a good excuse."

"Kingsley!" 

"We deserve to know!" 

Harry stared at Shacklebolt for a moment with more confusion and his fear slowly melting away before replying. 

"What?"

"Did you _not_ hear him—"

"What the hell is a wizarding world?" Sirius felt the world spin on its axis and took an involuntary step forward which caused Harry to take one back, mistaking Sirius' fear for aggressiveness. 

"Harry who am I?" He questioned a step away from hysteria. 

"How should I know? I've only just _met_ you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know!! I'm sorry about the cliffhanger—not rlly— but it had to be done. Idk if you noticed but the clinking that scared Harry after he woke up is the same noise Tonks made, sorry if it was too subtle.


	4. Chapter 4

The room was completely silent. Sirius still hadn't let out a breath from when he asked the question, not completely taking in the answer. 

"Look, I'm not—I won't—"Harry let out a slightly frustrated sigh and then looked around the room. 

Rather he calculated it, probably searching for every possible exit, Sirius had seen it with aurors all the time. 

"Just let me go. I won't say anything to anyone. What do you even want me for?" 

"Harry" his eyes snapped to Remus. "We don't want anything from you." 

Sirius heard Harry say a hushed "bullshit" thinking they wouldn't hear and then more loudly stated "if you don't want anything you'll let me go."

"That's not what I meant" Remus said patiently. 

"Obviously." Harry snarked back but wrapped his arms around him unconsciously. 

The room suddenly burst into action, people talking at once the children—who had come back down, firing off questions they didn't know the answer to. Some—Mrs Weasley, Tonks, and even Snape—talking to Dumbledore while he tried to sort out this mess. 

While everyone was talking Harry tried to slip out and it would've gone unnoticed if Sirius hadn't been basically memorizing his features. Even Remus was still turned away. 

Sirius quickly picked up his wand and spelled the door shut with a loud bang. 

Harry flinched violently and turned so his back was now to the door and stood rigid. The room once again quiet at noticing his attempted escape.

"Everyone I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this mess." Dumbledore stated as calmly as ever. 

"Reasonable? _Reasonable?_ He doesn't know a thing!"

"Im not completely incompetent. I know, like, math and stuff." 

Sirius stared at him gaping. 

"Honest I'm no threat." He said feebly. 

"We know." Hermione said earnestly taking a step forward. Apparently she had come back downstairs and started eavesdropped. 

Harry's eyes which had been flitting on the adults suddenly flashed to her taking an even further step back. 

Her face fell and her lower lip started to wobble before she determinedly set it in place. 

"Why did you bring children here?" He muttered earning surprise not only from his friends but the rest of the room. 

"They're just as involved in this." Sirius said quietly. 

"You've never done it before. Not with procedures like this." He said an eyebrow raised. 

"Like what?" 

He sounded genuinely curious but, well they always did. 

"...you really have no idea what I'm talking about." He responded factually although it sounded like a question. His eyes were still narrowed, cautious. 

"We hoped you could inform us." Dumbledore spoke again. 

"Is _that_ why you're holding me hostage? Kidnapping me? Which I'm pretty sure is illegal." He whispered mockingly, his demeanor now calm as he leaned against the door frame arms crossed and face in a small smirk, like it was entertaining. 

"Erm.. no—"

"Great." Harry said thoroughly ending the conversation. "Then you'll release me." Harry, despite his earlier revelation, seemed to fall back on his earlier belief, straying on the safe side of things. 

"That's it." Snape muttered. "Stop this childishness—"

He stepped forward and Harry's calm composure dropped as he took a defensive stance, hands out before glancing frustrated and fearful at the cuffs blocking his powers and deciding to back away. This though, was proving ineffective as he was already back to back with the door.

"Get away from him!" Sirius snarled, Remus trying to calm him with reason. 

"How about this: we take off the cuffs and we'll sit down and talk okay?" Shacklebolt said backing down. 

Harry considered him for a second and then the cuff. With a frown he nodded slowly. 

"Alright. Okay."

"And we're to expect him to behave?" Snape sneered. 

"What other choice do we have? Those cuffs won't last forever." Sirius snapped back. 

"He didn't know that." Snape spoke slowly and accusatory. 

Sirius could feel his face heat up when Harry silently agreed with them by slowly lowering himself to the table and putting his hands in front of him. 

Shacklebolt only hesitated a second before unlocking the cuffs and Harry immediately withdrew his hands. 

Now that he wasn't fighting them it quickly became awkward. He took the chance to look around the room purposefully avoiding all eye contact with all the people staring at him. He glanced towards the door but decided against another escape. Finally he barked out "what?" 

"What is it you remember?" Dumbledore asked. 

"Tell me what I'm supposed to remember and I'll tell you what I forgot." 

"Why, so you don't give away too much information?" Snape retorted. 

"I don't know you. I don't know you're intentions. So yes, so I don't tell you anything you don't already know." Harry said his voice holding just as much bite.

Moody stared at him impressively and was about to say something when Professor McGonagall glared at him. 

The awkward silence was becoming quickly uncomfortable so Harry took his time to look around the room. 

It was old and dusty looking like it hadn't been lived in for years. It wasn't exactly big so he wondered why so many people lived here. Especially seeing as they looked completely different from each other so they weren't all related. Although from their actions and discrete glances they seem close. They also seem to know him but that piece of information can be discarded, he already knew they knew him he just didn't know how. They looked like their knowledge of him wasn't through someone else because of how they looked towards him as well as what they've said to him. 

They act as if _he's_ the one that's crazy, that's forgetting things. It would make sense because while they knew him he didn't know them. He also recounted the way they'd said his name as well as the greasy ones personal hatred for him. 

They'd actually seemed _concerned._ He could barely remember what that felt like. 

All conclusions pointed towards friends or unrelated family, but he would never forget that. Never that. 

He realized that the silence was now directed towards him as they noticed his mental absence from the table. 

"I know this will be hard to believe but... well Harry—"

"You really do know me." He said quietly. This wasn't a trick. It wasn't a trick? It had to be.. A trick? 

It felt like his own head was malfunctioning. How could this not be a trick it didn't make sense— things like this didn't _happen_ to him. He didn't get good things. After everything they've told him he found his family?? 

"This doesn't make sense." He muttered running a hand through his hair. He tried collecting evidence that they weren't who they said, they _had_ to be the people after him they had to be. 

Tense posture. They had shaky hands: high emotions/coldness but it's rather warm, they didn't have goosebumps, they care about him, teary eyes. Begging glances: begging to remember? To stay?, the way they said his name. 

They knew him. 

"I don't understand."

"I know. And we'll figure it out—"

"I don't understand, they said they didn't take anything. They _promised."_

"Take what?" Remus said softly. 

"Why would I believe them? How could I be so _stupid?"_

"Harry calm down."

He was breathing audibly now his hands were shaking as well now. 

"Harry what did they take?"

"My memories! Everything! They—tore them from my head and—" He said desperately, not paying much attention to them. the lights burned bright, buzzing it seemed, likely due to his hypersensitivity. 

His hands were over his eyes now as he took in shaky wet breaths. 

"Okay. It's okay we'll figure it out." Remus said placatingly. 

"How?! It wasn't magic you'll have no way of getting them back!" He screamed sharply. 

"I assure you not all is lost." Dumbledore said going to place a hand on Harry as comfort. 

"Don't touch me." He said in a hoarse whisper his hands going back around himself.

"Harry _calm down."_

"This doesn't make any sense." He whispered to himself, now standing. "I have to get out of here." 

He yanked the door open with shallow breaths. He could here people running after him. They must've thought he was trying to escape. 

"I'm not going anywhere just- just give me a minute." He said pacing the creaky floorboards. 

Remus was the closest his hands out. Like trying to calm an animal. 

"Okay. Okay." Remus said quietly not stepping closer. 

He felt himself shaking, his head going millions of miles an hour. It didn't _make sense_. They lied to him he knew that now. Why would they lie? Then again why do they do anything they do?

"Harry."

He didn't answer but he did try to calm his breathing. 

"It's me, Ron."

"why hello it's me Ron, pleasure." He answered bitterly. When he looked up the red head looked devastated. "Sorry." He muttered turning around. 

"S' okay." 

"Ron stop it." Mrs. Weasley said harshly. 

After a couple minutes Dumbledore asked "Who is they, Harry?" 

"No one. It's no one." Now that he was calm he could actually think about his answers. 

"It didn't sound like no one." Moody said grumpily. 

"Alastor" McGonagall reprimanded.

"Give us the bag." Snape said harshly. 

Harry looked shocked for a second before he became guarded, pulled it protectively to his side. "What for?" 

"We don't know what he has. It could be dangerous." Moody said eyeing it. Even with his fake eye he didn't want to take chances. 

"Oh for goodness sake it's Harry!" Mrs Weasley cried out. 

"He doesn't have memories he can't be trusted."

"You can see _through his bag_ is that not enough evidence?" Remus asked Alastor exasperated next to Sirius who had thrown his hands up in the air. 

"We can trust Harry." Mrs Weasley tried again stubbornly. 

"That isn't Potter." Snape said standing straight, looking at Harry. 

The room was quiet, faces varying from disbelief and anguish to acceptance and hardness. 

"I'm not giving you my bag." Harry said his mind set and knuckles white. 

"Look, we'll just look through it, no harm no foul." Tonks tried uneasily. 

"Yeah? Try taking it from me." 

No one seemed to know what to do until Snape stepped forward. 

"Don't. Thats assault. That's crossing a line you can’t uncross.” Kingsley said sharply. 

"What, so we just trust him?" Snape whispered uncharacteristically angry. 

"That's what you're asking of me isn't it?" 

They looked to Harry who had stood up a little straighter. 

"To trust you? Difference is you're trusting me with my own belongings. You want me to trust you with my life." He lifted his head up in defiance at them. 

"He's right." Remus said to the shifting order members. 

"We don't know what's in it—"

"And it will stay that way. Understood?" Kingsley ordered them. 

"Harry could you let us talk for a minute?" Molly asked. 

Harry picked at a loose thread on his hoodie but nodded and stepped out. 

"We need to get him to talk." Remus said quietly so Harry couldn't hear. 

"He won't do that" McGonagall started "if he doesn't trust us."

"Then we'll just have to do this the old fashioned way" Remus said. 

"And how" Snape began "do you suppose we do that?" 

"We get to know him. And let him get to know us. Maybe, hopefully, along the way it'll help him regain his memories."


	5. Chapter 5

"—And did you _see that flip?!_ It was _amazing."_

"Ron you do realize the Chudley Cannons _did_ lose right?" Harry asked laughing along with Ron. 

"Pfshh still! Either way I'm sure they'll definitely up their game—" 

"Can you two talk about anything that doesn't include quidditch?" 

"But it's quidditch!" Ron said horrified as they laughed which was soon followed by Ron joining in. 

They opened the door to the classroom which held Professor McGonagall on her usual place at the front, and more noticeably, was a young man leaning against the wall at the side of the classroom. 

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all gave looks towards each other before sitting down. 

"Do you know him?" Ron asked them. 

Hermione and Harry just shook their heads. 

"What do you think it's about? I've never heard of an outsider—"

"Quiet, quiet everyone." McGonagall started as she stood up. "Now as you've all undoubtably noticed there's someone new here. Meet Mr. Collins, he's conducting a test for capturing your level of magical intelligence and... theoretically... your power."

"You don't sound very confident in that Professor." Mr. Collins smiled. 

"Well I don't see how you can possibly understand their power through a written test but by all means" she said waving her hand in front of her. 

"Hmm." He hummed which made Harry shiver because of its sharpness. In contrast, he gave off a gentle and warm vibe, much like that of Remus'. 

"You will all see a test in front of you. Please, fill it out to the best of your abilities. You have 40–"

"And this was approved? And how will we know the answers to something we've never studied before?" Hermione asked as Ron bumped her harshly with his leg. She let out a quiet hiss as she scowled at Ron. 

"One question at a time please. Now I can confidently say this was approved, not only by your Professor but your headmaster as well. As for passing, you will either not know any of it as I'm sure will be the case for most of you, or you'll pass with flying colors. It has nothing to do with previous knowledge but rather instinct. You may begin."

Hermione looked thoroughly confused as did most other students. McGonagall looked as though she'd heard it a million times before and thinking about the other classes, she probably had. 

"What does that even—" 

"No talking." Mr. Collins said kindly. 

Hermione, Harry, and Ron reluctantly began their tests.   
________

Hermione opened the door and Harry quickly turned to look at her. 

"Just thought you'd want some food." She said. 

Harry nodded while she set the plate on his desk. 

They stared at each other for a while before speaking. 

"I just—"

"How do I—"

"Oh you go"

"No, you started first." 

"It's just.. you don't remember _anything?_ " This time sounding like she was going to cry. 

Harry sat awkwardly, not at all ready to comfort a crying girl. 

"I'm sorry— I don't mean to be so emotional." 

He wanted to say "it's okay" or "it's not your fault". He didn't even know why, he'd barely just met her. 

"Hermione..." he shook his head, and he almost felt something familiar before it was swept away. 

Suddenly the door slammed open causing Harry's heart to jump and eyes go wide, sitting tense in the chair. 

A redhead was standing there with wide eyes 

"Sorry" Ron said sheepishly. 

Harry's lips twitched up and though he wished it didn't, the feeling of familiarity had already passed. 

"Are you okay Harry?" Hermione asked concerned. 

"It's getting late. Why don't we talk more tomorrow?" Remus, who had entered behind Ron, said kindly to which Harry yawned. 

"I just got here!" Ron whined but grumbled once Hermione gave him a look.

"Up you get." Remus said his eyes dancing happily but then frowning at the uneaten food. 

Harry stood and slipped around Remus to step out. Once he did, the people in the room next door stopped talking abruptly and looked towards him. He fidgeted awkwardly. 

"Right. You'll need a room obviously." Sirius told him. 

"A— a room? Oh, no I wasn't going to stay, no offense—"

"And you'll go—Where?" Remus asked lifting an eyebrow. 

"I'll figure something out." He said faintly, the anxiousness already increasing as he spoke to the man. 

"Why? You're welcome here." 

He fidgeted once more before Ron burst out. 

"Cmon mate. It's not a big deal, really." 

He stopped to think about it, eventually nodding, to the great relief of the group. 

"I'll show you around yeah?" He grabbed Harry's arm (without Harry flinching to the great surprise of—well himself) and dragged him upstairs.

"This is our room—we'll be sharing, you sleep over there."

"Ron" Hermione shook her head at him as if she was saying ' _seriously?'_

"Erm right" He said awkwardly "just.. make yourself comfortable" 

Ron was trying he could tell. He almost felt bad, like he was intruding. 

With Ron standing to the side he looked around. The room really was quite bare. He sat on the bed which gave a creak under his weight. 

Did all these people expect him to suddenly remember? He couldn't recall a thing. Well almost. The only reason he hadn't bolted was because he didn't _actually_ want to leave. He felt safe for the first time in a long time. 

Obviously not safe enough to trust them. Or to feel safe _around_ them. Or really anything now that he thought about it. But he knew by now that if anything he should trust his instincts.

A brown and obviously battered desk was in a corner, right below a window. Books with gold letters as titles were stacked atop it along with ink and parchment. He saw a book open on the page about 'knifflers'. Picking it up and flipping through it he landed on—

_The lights were dim and blue. He could barely see. Underneath him was something cold. Really cold. He could smell chemicals and hear people talking. He felt a dull ache across his whole body. Suddenly his head exploded in pain._

_He couldn't remember the span between being on the table and being in the cage, but he thought it was probably for the best._

_He never should've trusted him._

"Harry?" 

Harry looked over to see Ron once again at the door. 

"Hmm?" 

"Sorry, you just looked..."

"Must've zoned out." He answered shortly, already very tired of these little episodes.

He looked back at the thestral before shutting the book. 

"I thought you were giving me space?" He looked up only half joking. 

Ron just shrugged his shoulders and sat on his own bed. 

The silence quickly became awkward and Harry could see Ron shuffling around a bit. It seemed he agreed.

"What uh, what are these about" he asked Ron "They look like they're in Latin" 

"Oh they're spells. You know, magic" Ron wiggles his fingers. 

"Spells? What do you need that for?"

Ron gave him a strange look "whatcha' mean?"

Harry looked back at the books and again to Ron. "I, I don't know. Never mind." He said quickly. 

"Alright..." 

The silence was thankfully broken by Molly yelling that it was time for bed. Ron and him took turns changing then turned off the lights, and Harry shoved his bag underneath his bed. 

Once he was sure Ron was turned over, asleep, he made his bag glitter gold, essentially protecting it. He took off his glasses and let himself fall asleep.   
________

_He was in a meadow, sun shining through. Purple and blue flowers covering the ground and trees covering the sky._

_The creature, bony and grey, pale and bat like walked crookedly over to him, it's hooves clacking. Harrys eyes were blurry and his face wet as the creature breathed strangely cold air onto his face, messing up his hair._

_It's eyes were black, distant. He thought vaguely it was beautiful in its own tragic way, and felt inexplicably melancholic for it, Trapped and caged, shackles on its wings, neck, hooves._

_At least it wasn't on the table._  
________

He woke up quietly this time. Eyes fluttered open, green breaking through dark eyelashes he sat up slowly, warm already leaking through the covers. He half heartedly tried to pull them around him, and smelled burning toast. 

The dream was already slipping away, barely even memorable, except for that fact that he was never in a meadow and he didn't remember crying in front of some creature. He thinks maybe his abrupt flashback may have spurred on the dream. 

Harry turned violently when he heard a voice.   
"Finally you're up. Took your time though didn't you?" Rons smile was crooked and he was clearly ready to bolt downstairs. He didn't seem to notice Harry's initial unease. 

Harry rubbed his eyes and put on his glasses. "Sorry" he replied shortly. 

"S' okay. Cmon let's go or they'll eat it all"

Harry didn't bother to change out of his sweats and T-shirt, just followed Ron down the cold stairs thinking he should've worn socks but it was too late to go back up. 

When they were in the dining room, the smell was almost overpowering, Harry could smell eggs, coffee, basically any consumable breakfast food. 

Remus and Sirius were sitting side by side and Molly was running about setting up the food. Tonks and Mad-eye has just recently showed up, and Mr. Weasley was sitting at the head of the table along with Hermione and Ginny. 

Most chairs were full but two, Ron sat on the one next to Hermione, leaving the one with Sirius on the other side empty. 

Harry stiffly sat in the chair and immediately recoiled when both Molly and Sirius started piling things on his plate. 

"Give the boy a minute" Remus laughed. 

"I can handle myself." He said quietly, but sharply, defensively. 

Immediately the room quieted slightly, some of the occupants eyeing Remus and Harry. 

Harry, surprised at his own bitterness, blinked. "Sorry, I just meant—not that you can't—it just came out all wrong and"

"It's okay, Harry." Remus said still warm and friendly. 

Harry shuffled guiltily as Molly set his plate in front of him. 

He moved the food around a bit as the conversation started back up, Ron who had been one of the people glancing between Harry and Remus, was now in a conversation (Arguement) with Hermione. 

"They do that all the time." A voice said in his ear. 

Harry jumped and turned, looking at Sirius. 

"Like an old married couple." He continued. 

"Yeah they do that a lot" Harry replies, instantly more at ease. "At least that I've seen" 

"Don't worry you get used to it." He was smiling mischievously and Harry felt himself gravitating to the sense of normalcy. 

"No running!" Molly yelled at Fred and George who had dashed down the stairs, George stealing Ginny's plate. 

"Hey!" Ginny replied. 

"Snooze you lose" George replies around a mouthful of food.

Suddenly the floo flared up and a man stepped out. 

Harry could feel his pulse quicken and suddenly all his senses were honed in. _This Man this man this man get away._

He was suddenly standing up, his chair almost falling over. 

"I see you have just finished breakfast." He said in a low and slow voice. 

Harry didn't say anything just staring at him. 

"And obviously your feelings of contempt haven't faded with your memory loss." He stepped forward and Harry put his hands up. 

" _Get back"_ Harry said with venom. 

The people around him grew stiff and confused. 

"It's alright now Harry-"

"Yeah well I've learned to trust my instincts rather than words" he said not breaking eye contact or lowering his hands. 

"I assure you while the... annoyance is mutual you are perfectly safe here."

"Yeah, what I'm feeling is not _annoyance."_

"Cmon Harry lets go upstairs." Hermione said softly grabbing his arm. 

Harry growled, _growled_ but followed Hermione up.

There was a brief silence except the faint thumping of walking upstairs and a slammed door. 

"What was _that?"_ Remus asked. 

"He hates Snape that's what" Ron commented 

"Oh upstairs with you!" Molly speed-walked towards him but he was already racing up. "And you too Ginny!"

" _Mum!_ " Ginny whined But with a look from her mother, walked angrily upstairs. 

Molly huffed and went to clean up the plates.

"Well that was pleasant." Sirius said eyes flashing. 

"I enjoyed it about as much as Potter" Snape said flatly. 

"We have a couple of things to discuss." Remus interrupted. 

"Such as?" Snape drawled. 

"Hogwarts is starting soon" Remus started quietly "and Harry is still a student"

"You can't be suggesting that Harry continues 5th year?" Molly said. 

"How would that work?"

“He has no memory."

"He is about as magically intelligent" 

"As a first year!" Fred and George, who had been silent, butted in. 

"Children!” She annunciated dramatically. 

"Well it's true." 

"We'll talk about this later, when Dumbledore visits." 

"I think he should go." Sirius said uncharacteristically stern. 

Remus closed his mouth with a clack in surprise, having expected Sirius to fight vigorously against the idea of Harry leaving. 

"You... _want him to go?"_ He asked skeptically. 

"No of course not" Sirius replied "but I think it might be good for him. To see his friends, attend school. Even though it's not the safest place. Or very reliable. And I don't really trust it. You should probably stop me before I convince myself to keep him here."

Remus lip quirked up but then frowned. 

"Okay... but what about his education? The twins weren't wrong, he knows nothing about magic." Remus says as Fred and George high five each other. 

"Well that's not exactly true, he knows it exists maybe he knows more than we think." Arthur joined in. 

"Well either way, we should wait for Dumbledore. He'll know what to do." Molly said waving her hand. 

And that was that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So a couple of notes, first being—I absolutely adore your comments, they make me giddy just reading about them. Unfortunately I can’t reply to any for some weird reason (Ao3 hates me) but I really do appreciate them! Secondly, the last time I checked relationship vote ended up either a tie or none so I’ve decided that this story doesn’t really need a relationship :P lastly, sorry about the long wait, I had an anatomy and math test along with a history test next week so I’ve been cramming so sorry if this seems very rushed and a lot of scenes feel like they're smushed together. Thanks for bearing with me!!


	6. Chapter 6

Harry thumped up the stairs _just_ to be spiteful. He thinks Hermione noticed because she looked at him flatly. He just huffed at her (he thinks that was out of spite too). 

Once they got to the room he dropped onto the bed which bounced beneath him. Hermione however, stayed standing. 

"I know you were never friendly with Professor Snape but _honestly_ Harry." 

"What?" He asked defensively. 

"What? _What?_ You were about to rip his head off!" 

"He deserves it!" 

"And why is that?" She crossed her arms. They could hear another set of feet stomping up the stairs now. 

Harry faltered slightly blinking stupidly. "Well he, he's just, it's _Snape."_

"Hear hear" Ron said as he dropped in his own bed, scarily similar to the way Harry did moments before. 

"You're giving him a bad impression!" 

"Snape did that on his own." 

_"Professor_ Snape Ronald." Hermione shot back before turning to Harry again, this time sitting down in a chair across from him. "But _really_ you haven't even given him a chance. You just exploded on him."

"I didn't explode!"

"Yes you did! Don't even try denying it I saw how angry you were!"

"I wasn't angry." Harry grumbled. 

"So you exploded out of happiness?" She crosses her arms. Again. Whatever. 

"No I just— I just don't trust him is all." But there was something in his voice, and the way he glanced to the floor. How he crossed his arms, not like Hermione with annoyance, but more defensive, protective. 

When Hermione looked like she was going to push even harder Ron shot her a look of his own. 

"If anyone gets that it's me." Ron said coyly causing Harry to loosen up and take a breath.

"Think you're ready to act civil?" Hermione asked only slightly serious. 

"Oh hush up Mione" Ron said making Hermione and Harry smile.

It wasn't long until someone came back up to get them. 

Fred opened the door, George standing off to the side. 

"Mum says she"

"Wants to talk to you"

"Harry"

"Just Harry." 

Fred and George give identically playful grins. 

"Already? She just sent us up." Ron frowned. 

They rolled their eyes. Weird. 

"Yep! Best not"

"Keep her"

"Waiting."

They looked at each other, and the gesture was so natural Harry blinked in surprise, before heading downstairs. 

Now, seated at the table was the infamous Dumble—Professor Dumbledore, Harry corrected himself, that everyone at Grimmauld place insisted on talking about. 

"Ahh. It's nice to see you Harry" he clasped his hands together 

"Thank you" Harry muttered, not really knowing how to respond to someone he didn't really know.

"Please, Sit." Dumbledore gestures and Harry shifts uncomfortably in the same spot for a second, before walking over and pulling out a chair. 

"Where are the others?" He asks looking around. 

"Ah. They felt this conversation would feel more comfortable if we were alone." He says kindly. 

"Oh." Harry says stupidly. 

"I realize this all must be very strange." Dumbledore mentions tilting his head to look through his glasses. 

"I guess." 

"Hmm. Well, let's not waste time shall we? Let's start off with what you know of magic." Dumbledore says easily. 

"I think you'll have to be a bit more specific" Harry smiles easily, almost surprised at the comfortableness of the conversation. 

Dumbledore also looks slightly taken aback. "Yes well, I'm sure you've learned much while out on your own. Do you know spells? Or perhaps you've heard of certain magical creatures, schools...” 

"Oh uh" Harry's mind flashes his dream, to the bony creature in the meadow. "I guess I must've." Harry answered truthfully. 

"Lets start with the spells Mr. Potter." It seems like the comment would be clinical, but Harry doesn't feel like he would in an interrogation. 

"Harry." He corrects. 

"Very well Harry." His eyes are doing a weird twinkly thing. 

"But um—spells, I don't, I don't think so. Not with the uh, the stick you're so fond of." Harry says glancing down. 

"Ah, this would be called a wand." 

"Wand, right." 

"And that little trick back at Knockturn Alley?" 

"Oh the uh, departicleization." Harry runs a hand through his hair. 

"Departicleization?" Dumbledore asks. 

"Oh. Um it's kind of like, well let's say if you take two particles, entangle them, and send one to, let's say, the moon, then you can use that entanglement to teleport something between them, all you have to do is include that object in the entanglement. uh, but it takes a little more...math, than that." Harry says to a very confused Professor. "At least, that's what they said. I don't fully understand the theory but I'm well of enough with the practical part of it." 

"Did you just scientifically explain apparition?" Hermione asks practically vibrating from the doorway. 

"Oh uh..." he turns, suddenly embarrassed. 

"Hermione, dear!" Molly calls from the doorway. 

"Sorry." She says chastised before hesitantly bounding off. 

Dumbledore continues as though he hadn't heard Harry's 'departicleization theory'. 

"When you said you didn't think you knew spells from a wand, what exactly did you mean?" And Dumbledore is staring intently and Harry—well this is all Harry has. He's uncomfortable with giving it away, even if it isn't much. 

"I just don't know spells I guess." He said quietly. Dumbledore seemed to know that that wasn't quite true, but only said "Are you sure that's the truth Harry? This is very important." 

"Why wouldn't I tell the truth?" Harry asks instead. 

Dumbledore looks at him with a searching look that makes Harry feel like holding his breath. 

"You must understand, I must be sure. I don't mean it as a, well, slight against you." He assures. 

"Of course not." Harry says. He doesn’t quite know if he means it though. 

Dumbledore straightens up "tell me, you say you don't remember anything? Places or people? Perhaps, anything you've been taught?" 

Harry shakes his head "I don't think so. No one is familiar. I can't seem to recognize my own things, this place." He says before perking up. "But" he amends "I do remember details. Feelings about people."

"And what do you feel of me?" He asks patiently. 

Harry though, becomes embarrassed. "I uhm, I'm sorry I don't have one yet. They all come at different times. Sometimes it's right when I meet them and others it takes weeks." 

"Yes. Yes well you can't expect everything to come all at once." Dumbledore says "very well. I think that is quite enough for today Harry."

Harry nods, and though the conversation wasn't exactly what he'd expected, he found he might miss Dumbledores conversations.

"So what's your take on magical objects?" Hermione whispered excitedly to him as he was heading upstairs. 

He stopped to look at her and noticed they were alone. Deciding that as long as it was just them then he didn't really mind explaining. "Cmon." He muttered to her and sat down. 

"When a magical object is spelled to do its own work—well, I've theorized that it's some version of the Casimir force, it's a muggle thing." She says before waiting for him. 

"Well maybe but I've been thinking more about the idea of using electrostatic levitation."

At Hermione's blank look he expanded. 

"Oh uh, it's where you adjust the electrostatic field to find the right positioning so that the object raises without touching the field."

Hermione looked at him mouth open. 

"Okay, um—like when your hair raises after rubbing a balloon on it." 

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed "that makes sense. But how can you control the object and where it goes? That sounds more like levitation than actual flight." 

"You just have to continue to adjust the equilibrium. Although I don't know how the object itself continues to move once the spell has disconnected." 

"How do you know all this stuff?" It's not accusing—more curious than anything, maybe a little awe, but it makes Harry shut down. 

"Oh... here and there I guess." He says shortly. 

Hermione nods regretfully before Ron comes bouncing in. 

"Mione mum says it's almost time to pack—oh, hi Harry." Ron says enthusiastically. "We're just getting ready to pack up for—"

_"For_ our trip." Hermione says pointedly as Ron flushes. 

"Right." Ron spoke indistinctly. 

"Trip?" Harry asked suspiciously. 

"Mhmm. Yep, yes our trip. To...some place. Not here." Ron said as Hermione let her head fall into her hand. 

"Okay don't tell anyone we told you, we're technically not supposed to, but... in a couple days we're going to Hogwarts." Hermione spoke in an undertone, leaning in towards them. 

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked. 

"Oh, right" Hermione scoffed at herself before speaking towards them "our school." 

"Oh. Is it like...a boarding school?" 

"Kinda, just less math and more magic." Hermione says to Harry and a confused Ron. 

"Math?" Ron mutters perplexed but Harry talks over him. 

"Why didn't they want me to know?" 

Hermione and Ron glance at one another. "What is it?"

"They never want us to know anything around here, why should this be different?" and Harry can see Ron internally (externally cause Ron can't lie for—) rejoices at his save. 

"Uh huh. Very believable. Hermione?" He turns to her who blinks dumbly at him. 

"Professor Dumbledore says—" 

"Great well, _I'd_ like to hear something from you as I've just had a conversation with him." He says and she looks slightly hurt but she's already continuing before he has the chance to apologize. 

"It's just... I've already said more than I should've." 

"Then saying more really couldn't hurt could it?" Hermione bites her lip but looks to Ron. 

"Oh—bloody hell, they're too chicken to ask if you're up to going to Hogwarts with us. But you didn't hear it from me." He adds quickly. 

"Right because I have so many visitors." Harry jokes and for a single, sporadic second, Harry feels like home might not be a place. 

"Fred give it back!" 

"Fred? He's Fred I'm George."

"Like I care! It's mine you little—" 

"Ginny, George, behave!" Their mother yells from the kitchen as Fred zooms past, Ginny in tow. 

"But mum! He's got—" she yelled back before running into Harry. 

"Sorry can't talk—" She says quickly before glancing at him again. 

"Oh." She says much calmer than earlier. 

Harry gets a sudden rush of color and smells, an onslaught of emotions. 

There's wind through hair, the smell of wood after rain and orange—a cats fur, a stark contrast to the vivid orange-red vibe Ron gives off. He thinks he can just barely make out the sound of loud, unrestrained laughter and joyful shouting. 

"Hello?" 

"Oh—sorry" He says moving out of the doorway to let her through. 

She shoots a smile before dashing off. 

"Whose that?" He asks. 

"That's Ginny. She can be a little overbearing at first but she's wonderful, truly."

"Yeah." He murmurs and he can see Hermione looking at the floor with a smile on her face (obviously trying to hide it) out of the corner of his eye.

"We should get some sleep." Hermione says after Molly shouts a muffled 'Bed time' in the next room. 

"Right." Harry says awkwardly. 

Eventually he's in the room he and Ron share, Ron is muttering something about a dancing spider. 

He falls asleep to the sound of rain.   
________  
Something tickles his nose. He shifts away but that only causes a jabbing sensation on his neck. 

Harry groans irritatedly and shivers. Who thought it was a good idea to make the house this cold? 

The tickling feeling is on his cheek. 

Finally, begrudgingly, he opens his eyes. 

Forest. He now hears the so obvious chirping he missed before, and looks up to see the tall green trees and blue and orange morning sky. 

What happened to the burrow? A bird flew past far above in the trees. 

Well. He stands up then turns to look around but everything looks the same. Apparently even sleeping has to be difficult. 

He doesn't yell out, knows he might not be the only one here, which is probably why he hears the snap of branches. 

He turns sharply, hands at the ready, but it's just a deer, big brown eyes and flittering ears. One which is now running away, white tail the last thing he sees before it jumps through the brush. 

He lets out a breath messing up his hair. He walks in a single direction and hopes he isn't walking further from the burrow. 

It's only till it starts getting dark again that he really panics. _Stop it._ He scolds sharply _the worst thing to do now is panic._

He looks around, again, and just faintly—barely even noticeable, he sees a blue glow. 

It gets brighter the closer he becomes. It looks almost like it's floating in air, just existing. 

He reaches out to touch it when the light abruptly goes out. He backs away with a small intake of air when very slowly, it glows again. 

Only when it moves it's head up does he realize it's alive. A creature. 

It has white glowing eyes, and looks almost like it's flapping mist like wings. He hears it trill unintelligibly. 

He gives a small laugh. "Hello there." He whispers quietly. He reaches his hand out again and his fingertips barely brush it before it slips away seemingly into thin air, almost laugh like trilling. 

"Oh laughing at me are we now?" He says to empty air before the creature appears behind him. 

He turns towards the creature which is slowly floating off. "What are you...doing?" He asks it. 

It trills before flying off in the same direction. "You want me to follow you?" He asks, and by the happy noise it gives back he knows he guessed right. 

"Alright little guy." He says to himself before following it as it dances away. 

Now though, he can see more wisps forming, lighting up and coming out of hiding. 

"Wow." He whispers as he sees them fly perfectly in sync. 

It's dark now, the wisps being the only thing he can see without having to strain his eyes. That and the trees and other vegetation it lights up as it passes. 

It stops, suddenly and gestures towards a tree. 

"Yeahhhh. Nice tree." He says confusedly. 

It gestures slightly harsher before trilling. 

"I don't know what you want. I'm sorry." He says. 

The wisp actually seems to huff but it flys towards the tree and back. 

"Oh. Oh! You want me to...go?" He asks and it's flying in circles upwards now, seemingly victorious. 

"Okay.." He says skeptically. 

The skepticism though, seems unfounded. Seconds later he realizes he's now entered a clearing, a big, wonky building ahead of him. 

They led him back to the burrow.

At least he knows he was walking in the complete opposite direction before the wisp showed up.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry didn't understand the big deal. Hermione has been chewing the quill she was using and Ron was looking at the paper like it was in another language. 

It was a test _first years_ could pass. Honestly he didn't know why they both seemed so stumped. 

He wrote another answer to the 17th question: _'in what ways would you describe strix?_ ' 

Dark colored and extremely bloodthirsty came to mind. 

To be completely honest, when he tried to think of the reason he might put those two specific words together, it brushed past his mind. He wasn't really sure what a strix even was unless he wasn't thinking about it. 

"Oh honestly! What even is a—a" Hermione ranted once they got out. She shoved her paper at them: έλαμπαν. 

"I can't even say it!" She said angrily. 

"Arae." He mentioned not fully paying attention to the conversation. 

"What book are you studying from? Ancient mythology?" She blew a hair from her face. 

"It's Greek." He mumbled half heartedly. 

She stared at him like he was another being. "You must've been a strange child. Either way, they've never mentioned Greek before, why now! Ugh" 

"I thought the teachers new best." Ron smirked at her. 

"Oh hush!" 

"I can't believe you asked for your test back!" Ron exclaimed and Hermione immediately turned defensive. 

"W—obviously I mean, how else am I supposed to learn all of this?" Ron laughed incredulously and Harry turned his face away to smile. 

"Mr. Potter?" A voice called from behind. He turned to see Professor McGonagall standing with her hands folded. "Mr. Collins wishes to speak with you." She said strictly before turning to her classroom. 

Harry shrugged at Ron and Hermione before setting off to find the teacher (was he even a teacher? Anywhere?)

Apparently professor McGonagall had kicked him out of her office once the test had finished and he was now in one of the unoccupied classrooms. 

"Harry Potter!" He said joyfully. "It's wonderful to see you. I just had some questions about your answers." He said with a pointy smile, his hands clasped and over his mouth. 

"My answers?" Harry asked. 

"Yes, See—I was just wondering... where did you learn all of that?" He said gesturing to the papers he'd probably stolen from McGonagalls office, leaning back. Harry didn't think he was supposed to have that but didn't mention it. 

"I just...put whatever made the most sense." 

"I see." Mr. Collins said. "But if you look at question 6 _'where does the crimson anemone grow?'_ I mean, that can't've been a coincidence." He laughed disbelieving, his movements precise. 

"Well a lot of plants grow near water." Harry said.

"Yes but—" 

"Why am I here?" Harry asks tapping his fingers against his leg. 

"Right. I just wanted to give you back your paper." He said, although Harry found it to be highly unlikely. 

"Okay." He said putting his hand out. 

Mr. Collins looked displeased at handing the paper back but reluctantly let it go. 

After a moment of awkward silence Harry spoke. "Alright well... bye." 

Mr. Collins eyes were narrow but he didn't say anything, just leaned back in his chair again. 

"Okay." Harry rubbed his arm before darting out.   
________

"Oh harry! We were so worried!" Hermione said as she jumped into his arms. 

Harry gave a soft noise at the impact when Hermione quickly pulled back, bushy hair following her movements. 

"Where's Arthur?" Harry asked looking around the room. 

"He's already headed to the ministry for work," Hermione waved absently "Where were you? You were gone a whole day!" 

"Yeah mate we were worried sick." Ron mentions behind Hermione. 

Harry hears thumping down the stairs and sees Ginny blinking at him. 

"Oh its good to see you." She says breathless from running down the stairs. "We were—" 

"Worried. I know, but I'm okay. I think, I think maybe I sleepwalked." He said dazed. 

"Sleepwalked? You've never sleepwalked before." Ron mentions. 

"Oh." Harry says for lack of a better response. 

"I just mean—" 

"Ron." Hermione coughs before glancing around. "Well, it's almost time to leave for Hogwarts, I'll get the cases." Hermione says unthinkingly. 

"You told him?" Remus asks shocked. 

"Oh, oh yes! We did, I'm so sorry." Hermione says regretfully. 

"Well we all knew someone was bound to slip up." Molly says unfortunately. 

"Harry—we were thinking, more of wondering, if you'd want to..you know, attend Hogwarts." Sirius says flippantly looking at his nails as Remus elbows him causing him to hiss an 'Ow!' 

"I just uh, I don't know how it would work." Harry says. 

"To be honest, we don't either. Moony!" Sirius yelled hushed when Remus elbowed him again, much to Harry's amusement. 

"We can set up a test, see what year your placed with." Remus suggests not expecting Harry's recoil. 

"No." It's immediate and blunt, and it takes too little time for them to understand, even if Harry doesn't. 

"Okay." Remus replies softly, making Harry feel bad for lashing out. He thinks he's starting to see a pattern. 

"Why don't you just name off some things and I'll tell you which I recognize." Harry said to Sirius. 

"Don't see why not." Sirius said turning to the group. 

"Okay let's start with potions. Do you recognize 'sleeping draught'?" he said, starting easy. 

"It's a potion that makes you fall into a temporary sleep, almost immediately." They were seemingly surprised that he'd gotten it, probably believed he wouldn't get past the first question. 

"Okay, and vertaserum?" 

"Truth potion basically." 

"Do you know what amortentia is?" He asks. 

"Type of love potion. It makes you smell whatever you're infatuated with." Harry describes easily. 

Remus pauses "I don't really think we need this do we? I mean have we even taught that yet?" 

"Well what about herbology? Spells, care of magical creatures?" Mrs. Weasley asks shocked. 

"I'm good with magical creatures" Harry offers. 

"And the rest?" She shoots back not harshly. 

"Herbology is plants right? I'll be fine." He insists. 

Remus turns to Dumbledore who says "Then it is final. Harry will attend Hogwarts." 

"He doesn't have his memories." Hermione reminds dumbfounded. 

"I'm sure that won't be too much of a problem. Hogwarts is after all, the safest place made." Remus says. 

"What about my stuff?" Harry asks glancing at Hermione and Ron's suit cases. 

"We can bring it to Hogwarts for you!" Sirius suggested suddenly. 

Harry stared. "Okay." He says finally.

"Wait wait, again, he doesn't have his memories." Molly interrupted dumbfounded. "What—what about his house and his friends I mean—" she scoffed "what about his enemies?" 

"I have enemies?" Harry asked. 

"No!" "Yeah" 

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, Hermione angrily and Ron wryly. 

"What better option do we have? He stays here in hopes of miraculously regaining his memories?" Ginny finally spoke up leaning against the doorway. 

Hermione let out a frustrated breath and Dumbledore stood straighter. 

"Then it is decided." He says looking at Harry "Harry Potter will return to Hogwarts."  
______

About two hours later Harry is sitting on the steps of the burrow, waiting for Mad-eye moody and Tonks to return. 

Harry startles when Remus appears at the steps and sits beside him. 

"Hello Harry." Remus begins. 

Harry nods and smiles half heartedly but doesn't reply. 

Remus sighs before speaking again. "I know this must be difficult—" Harry scoffs. 

"But you have people you can rely on." 

"Who? You?" It's sharper than intended and Harry can see the hurt in Remus' face. 

There's a long pause when Harry starts again. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I keep doing that." 

Remus sighs again before laying his forearms on his knees fingers interlaced. 

"I'm just confused. I keep getting these feelings—about, about people I don't even know." Harry runs a hand through his hair and sees Remus staring at him. "What?" 

"Nothing just... have you ever heard of the saying that trust" he pauses to look out towards the field "can take years to build and moments to lose?" 

Harry shook his head before meeting Remus' eyes. 

"You don't trust us. You can't. That's okay Harry you don't know who we are. Well, you do but not in the right way." 

Harry shakes his head with a frown, not understanding. 

"What I'm saying is, you don't have to trust us. You just have to trust yourself. Your instincts. What are they saying about us?" He asks. 

Harry felt sunlight on his face, running hands through soft fur, worn out books and the smell of chocolate. Gentle eyes and kind smiles. 

Harry clenched his jaw at the emotions coming forth. "I'm sorry." He said shakily. 

"Whatever for?" Remus replied softly, almost worried. 

"I've been horrible to you. I don't know why I was just so _angry—_ " Harry stops himself and blinks back tears. 

"Harry—Harry it's okay. This is a strange place and you're with strange people that claim to know you, it's understandable that you're angry or confused." Remus sighs before looking at the burrow after hearing a loud clank and thump from inside. "Come on I think they're back." 

Harry follows Remus up the creaky wooden steps and inside the burrow. Mad eye and Tonks are both back with his stuff and—

"Hedwig!" Harry says happily. 

Gold and white ruffled feathers, happy cooing and moody nips. Big brown eyes and the smell of parchment. 

"Hey girl, I've missed you." He lets her out of her cage and pets her—misses the astonished looks behind his back. 

Hedwig chirps softly and harshly bites his fingertip. "Ow!" He laughs "what's that for hmm?" For a minute she just looks away standing haughtily and scoots away from him but at his incessant apologies she turns and forgivingly nips at his hair making him laugh again. 

"That's my girl." He replies adoringly. 

"So you...remember her?" Remus asks hesitantly. 

"I don't—" the smile he was wearing starts fading a little and he frowns at Hedwig. "Um... she's just...familiar I guess." He doesn't seem to understand himself so Remus stops asking. 

She seems to notice his distress and nudges her head with his own. Laughing again he says quietly "I know." 

"She's very intelligent." Tonks says fascinated. 

"Yeah." Harry says barely above a whisper. 

"So." Mrs. Weasley claps loudly. "Tomorrow you'll be heading to Hogwarts. Is there anything we missed dear?" 

Harry tears his eyes from Hedwig and looks at the pile of things they brought from Privot Drive and nods to them. "Thanks Tonks." 

"Your welcome." Mad eye replies gruffly before Tonks can.

"Where did you find this anyway?" Harry asked looking at his belongings. 

It seemed like practically everyone in the room hesitated. 

"How much...do you remember about your family?" Remus asked him. 

"I thought you were my family?" He said confusedly. 

Remus stopped and shared a glance with Sirius before turning back to Harry. "I mean your blood family." He said quietly. 

"Your...not?" He asked once again confused and slightly more alarmed. 

"We're family in everything but blood dear." Molly spoke both sad and happy, placing a hand on his cheek. 

"So whose...my real family?" He asked starting to worry once again when the whole group shared another glance. 

"Your aunt, uncle and cousin—Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Dursley." Remus trying to sound objective.

Harry immediately felt sick and his face scrunched up. 

"Are you alright?" 

"Fine." He lies, feeling sick. 

"You're sure? You're looking peaky." Mrs. Weasley frets. 

"Yes." He replies sharply but softens when she backs away a step. "Yeah."

"Where uh, where are they?" He asked apprehensive. 

Remus presses his lips together and shared a glance with Molly. 

"Can you—can you stop doing that?" Harry asked and sighed at their shocked looks. "Just tell me whats going on." He said not unkindly. 

"Well your aunt and cousin are perfectly safe..." Tonks started. "Your uncle... was taken. We don't know where he is—" 

"Let's not dance around it, he's most likely dead." 

"Alastor!" Molly cut in offendedly. 

"That's what we said about Harry." Remus said seriously causing them to go silent. 

Harry though, couldn't help but shamefully feel a slight relief. He didn't know who.. 'Vernon' was but he could guess that he probably wasn't...very high on Harry's list of loved ones. 

"We don't know for sure." Tonks amended. 

Harry nodded and looked at the time and realized how late it was. Apparently so had Molly because she suddenly said "well off to bed you four." 

Ron groaned but followed Hermione and Ginny after they hopped up the stairs. Harry was about to follow up when he heard low murmuring. 

"What are we going to do about...you know who?" He hears a woman's voice—he thinks Molly—ask. 

"What can we do? Obviously the fate wasn't fully resting on Harry's shoulders but we all knew he played a large part." A male, indistinguishable voice asked. 

He heard a sigh and then "and you're sure there's no spells, potions that could fix this?" He's pretty sure that was Remus said. 

"So far we haven't found anything. We can just hope."

"Hope!" A voice that definitely belonged to moody said before scoffing loudly "and where do you think that will get us? No, we need to do something. Fight back!" He heard a fist slam down. 

"Calm down! This is getting us nowhere!" He noticed that McGonagall had showed up sometime after the other three went upstairs. 

"And what do you suggest?" Moody asked. 

She sighed. "Let Harry be." Someone sounded like they were about to interrupt because she said in a louder voice "maybe if he's around a familiar atmosphere, around his friends and teachers, it'll jolt his memory." 

Harry backed up and slowly went upstairs, lost in his thoughts. Opening the door he was immediately bombarded with questions. 

"What were they—"

"What did you hear?"

"Talking about?" 

Blinking at the sudden silence and their waiting expressions Harry answered "it was just about...you know who?" 

They glanced at each other with fearful expressions. 

_"Do_ you know who?" Ron snorted and Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"What were they saying?" Hermione asked quickly. 

"Who were they talking about?" Harry countered. 

"We should go to bed." Hermione said after a while. 

She opened the door, glanced back, and then scurried off to her own room. 

"She's right." Harry looked back at Ron who was shuffling awkwardly. 

Harry blew his hair up again but accepted that he wasn't about to get a straight answer, especially after Hermione cut Ron off from answering. 

When Ron crawled under the covers and turned off his light Harry waited a rather long time. He kept glancing around but he couldn't see a thing, the atmosphere to dark without a light. He fumbled with the blankets and after a tedious amount of time, he heard soft snores 

He pulled out his still gold shimmering bag and whispering to it, making the colorful glow disappear. 

He pulled out the stick, a wand he knew now. 

"What do you do..." he muttered to himself. It started glowing a little and Ron shifted making Harry freeze in anticipation before deciding he wasn't going to wake up. 

"Cmon..." He says gripping it. "Do something." The wand retains its dull glow but doesn't change. "Honestly!" He whispers harshly. 

The wand responds with a blue blast and the door to their room blasts backwards and off its hinges. 

Ron immediately shoots up and incoherently says a jumble of words. Harry is still for a second before he jams his wand in his bag and not bothering to protect it, he throws it beneath the bed. 

Someone comes racing in, Sirius he later realizes, and wildly looks around. 

"You two okay?" He asks hurriedly, a piece of the roof above the doorway landing on the ground with a clank. 

"Uh right yeah we're fine." Harry stutters. 

Sirius lets out a sigh and seconds later Remus is barging in after him. "What happened?" He asks breathless. 

Ron blinks stupidly and turns his head to Harry who swallows sitting stiffer.

"Harry?" Sirius asks seeing Ron look to him. 

It's not accusing but Harry still feels like he's being investigated. 

"I didn't—I was just" 

Some of the other residents check out what the noise is groggily. Harry can make out Ginny, Molly and George. 

"It was an accident." He blurts out shakily. 

"What was?" Remus asks definitely not suspicious per say but not exactly innocently. 

When Harry doesn't see another choice he coyly pulls the back from beneath his bed. 

"I knew we should've checked it!" He hears mad eye—who had apparated there at the disturbance—crow "I knew—" 

"Oh hush!" Molly says. 

Gently pulling out his wand Harry drops it into Sirius' hands. "I was just curious." Harry answers honestly. 

"You blew up the wall...out of curiosity?" 

"No!" He says quickly "no I didn't know it would do that, I was just holding it I swear." 

Sirius smirks but hands the wand back. 

"Not a word Alastor." Harry hears someone mutter. 

"Thanks." He stuffs the wand back in and stands awkwardly while the others stand in the doorway. 

He shuffles, hoping they realize he'd really like to be left alone. 

Sirius, probably seeing his expression, ushers them out. "Off to bed!" Then he mutters only to Harry "There's a marauder at work!" He winks to Harry in a childlike manner. 

'Marauder?' Harry wonders to himself. 

The door closes and he and Ron are left in silence. He turns to Ron but he's already dropping back into the bed and passing out. 

"Night I guess." Harry mumbles pulling up the covers and drifting off.


	8. Chapter 8

The morning is more chaotic than Harry ever could've imagined. 

He's awoken not just by the smell of breakfast, but both shouting and jumbled conversation. 

Yawning he pulls his clothes on, looks in the bathroom mirror—his hair is hopeless, and makes his way downstairs. 

"Harry!" Someone shouts (to which he backs away due to the intense flooding of fear and adrenaline) before dragging him to the table and setting him down. "Let's get some food in you." Molly says eyeing his loose clothing. 

"Molly." Mr. Weasley reprimands holding a newspaper up. 

"I know dear I know." And then she's gone yelling at the twins. 

"So Harry." Arthur lowers the paper and looks at him "you sleep well?" 

"Yes sir." He replies politely as Sirius comes up. 

"I bet you did." He says jokingly. 

"It was an accident, honest." 

"I'm well aware." He says even as his expression says otherwise and sits. 

"Besides" he puts chicken on his plate "I wouldn't mind even if it wasn't, except for the roof of course." He amends at Mrs. Weasleys look but there's a slight shake of his head once she turns around that has Harry snorting into his food. 

Both Sirius and Mr. Weasley look at him in surprise (and someone behind him too he thinks) but quickly pretend they weren't staring. 

"You've packed haven't you?" Harry turns to see Remus. 

"Course." He replies instantly. 

He gets a small smile before the man is gone through the force of Fred who was running quickly around the house, brother lost in the chaos. 

"I should get my things." He says to Sirius. For a second Sirius looks pained but then he's smiling again. 

"Off you go." 

Harry takes that as permission to be excused and heads upstairs, much slower than the other occupants of the house. 

Getting up there he sees the doorway was fixed and that causes slight amusement if not guilt. 

He pulls his bag up before opening to see if everything's in place. 

His eyes catch a flash of red and he pulls it out, well aware of what it is. 

He sits slowly on the end and brushes his hand against the wrinkles. 

He doesn't know anything about her. About either of them. The excitement of earlier wears off and is replaced by a sudden sick feeling of longing. 

"Harry are you—" Ginny stops as she sees what's in Harry's hand. "Oh."

"Are you alright?" 

Harry blinks before shoving it away. "Yeah." 

"You sure?" She asks feeling bad for the interruption and hoping to help in some form. 

"Yep."

He raced downstairs with his stuff before Ginny could badger him on what was wrong or see his red complexion. 

"Isn't that great Fred?" Harry heard the twin say from downstairs. 

When George spotted him he continued with "Simply fantastic George. Harrykins! Wondered when" 

"You were coming down." 

They both gave sharp feline smiles and Harry could see someone in the background yelling and Ron who they had apparently been talking to before him. 

"What's great?" Harry asked them at the bottom of the stairs. 

"Oh nothing"

"Just that Ronykins here"

"Got the prefect title!"

Ron blushes deeply and shoved at Fred who gasped in fake offense 

"Very rude wouldn't you say Fred?"

"Oh yes but I thought you were Fred?" George joked. 

"Very wrong Fred very wrong." 

Ron groaned and looked up before he quickly turned his head when Molly yelled his name. 

"You've packed haven't you Ron?" She asked. 

"Uhh mostly." 

After a few harsh words Ron was racing upstairs, and not too soon later he came back with his suitcase, Hermione trailing behind. 

"Quickly quickly or we'll be late." Molly ushered them. 

Remus and Sirius were looking at Harry and Harry stands unsurely in front of them. 

Sirius puts his arms on both of Harry's upper arms comfortingly. "See you on your next break Harry." 

Harry nodded slightly uncomfortable, then in a bout of confidence, asked "when will that be?" 

Sirius blinked in surprise and Remus answered "Soon. Christmas isn't that far away now is it?" 

"I guess..." 

"You can visit sooner, if you like." Sirius said after a short pause. 

Remus gave him a sharp look but didn't take back the offer. 

"Okay." Harry says brighter. 

"Harry Cmon!" Ron said not much less than agitated. 

"Coming." He only hesitated a second before giving each a very very quick hug and running off.

"Into the car now!" She yelled at everyone. 

Ron rolled his eyes but Ginny quickly settled in, Arthur in the drivers seat. 

Harry settled into the very large and obviously not muggle car (Molly doesn't know the difference) Fred and George on each side of him, giving him an unsettled feeling. 

"So Harry" one starts 

"What exactly do you"

"Remember?" 

Harry looked between the two almost comically and answered "well, I know about magic obviously, and I guess I get feelings but those haven't been very accurate." He says thinking shamefully of Remus. 

"So you wouldn't happen"

"To know anything about"

"You know who?"

"Or the order?"

"Or—"

"Fred and George Weasley!" Their mother scolds. They have ashamed looks but anyone could tell it's not real. 

"Sorry mum" they both say. 

"Anyway,"

"What do you mean you know"

"About magic?"

"Well, just the basics I guess. Plants, potions, auras." He explains, thinking of anything as basic as he can. 

"You mean aurors?" Ron asks amused. 

"No auras, you know—" but he realizes they _don't_ know so he almost suspiciously shuts his mouth with a clack. 

"Sorry." He agrees "Sorry you're right. Aur—aurors." he says with difficulty.

They look at him with narrowed eyes and his shoulders hunch a little more. Hermione is looking at him out of the corner of her eye trying to be inconspicuous. 

Ron though, just snorts lightly, not skeptical in the slightest. This draws out slightly stilted chuckles from the others. 

Molly and Arthur who'd been having their own conversation suddenly joined in. 

"We're quite close, dear." 

"Yeah yeah" Ron cuts in rolling his eyes. 

"For the train." She says offhandedly handing each of them a sandwich. 

It's only when she turns around do Ron and Harry switch instinctively. 

Harry can feel them staring so he looks sharply. "What?"

"Nothing just..." Ron looks at the sandwich. 

"Must've been reflex." Hermione comments. 

"She always gets ours mixed up." Ron explains. 

That doesn't, however, explain how Harry knew. Maybe Hermione was right and it was reflex.

The car lurches to a stop. "We're here! Everyone out." Mrs Weasley says excitedly. 

Ginny next to the door on the left side scrambles out so everyone can leave and Harry follows once he realizes they're waiting for him to get out from the other side. 

It's bright and fairly muggle, it's a little strange seeing as Harry thought it would be...magic? He isn't really sure what he's expecting. 

"Oh, no Harry this isn't the—we aren't there quite yet." Hermione says at Harry's befuddled face. 

"This way you first Ginny."

"Already done!" She yells to her mum as she runs through _the wall._

Harry takes a surprised step back but Fred and George grab his arms and push him forward. 

"Cmon Harry!"

"Well go in together." 

They smile at each other mischievously and before Harry can back out, he's being pushed through the wall. 

The second he steps through he has to duck for an owl that's flying around the place. 

"Wow." He mutters. Quickly though, the wonder vanishes and he looks around. 

People are staring. Like, _everyone._ Everyone is just...staring. 

"We should've warned you." Mrs Weasley says glaring at a particularly interested student. 

He hears people muttering 

'Potter?' 'I thought he was kidn—' '—missing?' 

Harry hides his face beneath his hair and he can feel Hermione and Ron on each side of him. 

"Let's go." Ron says quietly as they board the train. 

Harry goes to take an empty compartment but Hermione pulls on his arm and gestures with her head to the left, bushy curls following.

Before even entering, Harry immediately feels gentle fingertips running through clouds, astronomical drawings on parchment, and instead of the royal blue Hermione gives off, this is a light airy blue. 

In the compartment, he sees a girl with blond hair and a boy with a... toad. It doesn't take long to identify where the feeling came from. 

"Hullo." The girl says in a far away voice. "I was wondering when you'd come back." 

The other boy however, is nowhere near as composed. 

"Harry!" He stands up but doesn't look like he quite knows how to react.

"Neville! I'm sorry I completely forgot to tell you!" Hermione exclaims as Luna stared at Harry. 

"That's a lot of Nargels Harry, you might want to get that checked out." 

Harry looks at her blankly and Hermione quickly explains "oh that's just something she—"

"Thanks, I'll look into that..."

"Luna" She says dreamily. 

"Right." Harry says back, Neville frowning at Harry. 

"But you know Luna..?"

Hermione and Ron look at each other before shutting the compartment door and continuing at the same time.

"Harry—"

"You see—"

Harry looks at them amused before turning to Neville. "I don't really remember anything."

Neville's expression of confusion doesn't really clear up. "Like...dementia?"

Now everyone in the compartment is looking at him waiting for an explanation but Harry becomes uncomfortable with the attention. 

"I uh, no. No not dementia. It's just something that..happened. While I was missing." He glances away and huddles closer into himself. 

"That's unfortunate." Luna comments dreamily. 

"Yeah it is." Harry half smiles.

There's a small silence before Hermione immediately picks up the conversation again. 

"Anyway, uh this is Neville and this is Luna. You're—you used to be friends, sort of." She says shifting quickly. Harry almost didn't notice. 

Harry nods but doesn't say much else when they've gotten to talking. Especially since the conversation centers are usually something he hasn't heard of like quidditch and houses. At least not what _he_ thinks houses are. 

"What's the difference?" He asks after hearing about the 'slimy Slytherins' and how horrible the 'Ravenclaws' are to Luna at times. 

Neville and Ron glance suprisedly at them (the latter with a tad of horror) before Hermione passionately and tactlessly says "oh! That's right you forgot. Well, they're categories sort of. They place you in a house depending on your more dominant characteristics." 

"And what's...Slytherins?" He says, Ron scrunching his face up. 

"Well, some say they're evil—" "They _are_ evil!" 

"But" Hermione interjects loudly "they're manipulative which is a part of why they're labeled as evil, they're charismatic—"

"Tell that to Malfoy's two bodyguards." Ron mutters but Hermione continues like she didn't hear him. 

"Ambitious, and cunning. It's just...not a very popular house." Ron snorts and Hermione glares at him. "Oh come off it Ron, it's just a label." 

"Right. So is the dark mark." Hermione glances at Harry before looking away innocently. 

"And the others?" He asks switching subjects. 

"Hufflepuff: the loyal, Ravenclaw: the smart, and Gryffindor: the brave." Ron states. 

Hermione rolls her eyes and mutters 'it's not _that_ simple Ron.'

"It can't be that black and white.. right?" 

"Whatcha mean?" Neville asks hesitantly. 

"Well, Hermione's a Gryffindor right?" He gestures to her tie. "But she's always spouting facts, she's obviously highly intelligent."

Hermione smiles shyly and plays with her robes. 

"So why isn't she a Ravenclaw? Maybe, Well its just—I'm sure there's more to it." 

Ron looks like his head hurts just thinking about it but Hermione and Neville look genuinely contemplative. 

"You're very perceptive for someone with so many nargles." Luna looks at him. 

The compartment door opens to find the trolly lady, and all conversation of houses is forgotten.   
______

He hates this. 

He hates his 'friends' that aren't actually friends because its just for political expectations. He hates the expectations that comes with being the son of a deatheater. He hates this pathetic school that isn't actually capable of teaching anything worthwhile and he hates that stupid Harry bloody Potter is getting the attention all over again. 

At first Draco was surprised that he had managed to get himself into trouble before even beginning another school year. Then he was kind of amused because that's what you get Harry _bloody_ Potter. Then he was strangely... well not worried because it's Potty but it was bordering on suspicion. 

Because anyone worth anything would've been able to figure out that this whole entire kidnapping _thing_ was centered around that inane unanswerable test. Well, seemingly unanswerable because _Harry Bloody Potter_ just so happened to figure it out. And that's what rubbed everyone the wrong way, good and bad alike. 

Because it wasn't Voldemort. And if it wasn't Voldemort then who could possibly want to kidnap Potter. Well, Draco would—just for kicks, but really not the point. 

Anyway, then he had to hear about how he just so happened to appear back when school starts. Coincidentally. Yeah right. 

Draco hadn't actually _seen_ Potter yet, so he couldn't exactly say anything for sure, but he's 73% sure that despite the fact that he's been missing for months, Dumbledore and the teachers and everyone he knew was acting like nothing happened at all. 

Back on track though, Draco just hates things. But what he especially hates? The fact that even though Potter gives everyone all this trouble his _mudblood_ and _blood traitor_ are still by little Potty's helpless side. 

Truthfully, Draco never really cared about all that pure blood mudblood nonsense, mostly it's just for his father and mother and the fact that this is his life and this life is measured in power. Still though, it makes for some good insults. And maybe, maybe when he was younger, naive, and unbelievably impressionable that yeah, it made sense, he has magic and those talentless muggles don't. Now though, well honestly, he's not blind. Granger, despite her extreme variety of flaws, is incomprehensibly intelligent to the likes of which Draco could barely achieve. Just barely though. 

And then Potter had to go and ruin everything with his "oh hello"s and "how are you?"s because what? What in Merlin's name was _that._ They've been enemies for years and then he springs that on him? 

Well, only one conclusion. He's gone insane. 

Well not in actuality—Draco's concluded that Potter was insane since first year, but really, something wasn't right. 

Then there was the moment it all clicked. Potter didn't...know him. The way he looked with innocent unrivaled openness. Well, that look has never been directed at Draco. He's seen it at the house elves Merlin forbid, at Granger and Weasley, the teachers. Everyone but him and the Slytherins because the world would come crashing before he was _nice_ to them. 

Well Draco can't really talk but. 

It hadn't clicked when he first saw him, he honestly thought the prat had just ignored him. But then, when he glanced at him, he'd made normal conversation. He'd looked bright and unfaltering and there was absolutely no way he was faking because every little emotion was always lighting up on his face like a damned firefly. Then Potter asked his name. He asked Draco's _name._

So yeah Draco knew. Probably before. A lot of people but he was just guessing. He'd seen Granger and Weasley glare him to death (well actually the latter while Granger glanced nervously between them) but Potter wasn't paying them any mind. 

Draco introduces himself and that was that. Draco thinks maybe he'd get a second chance at this whole friendship thing, but then again, did he actually want to?

If he did it would purely be for social status and an 'in' with the boy who lived. Nothing personal. But Potter made it so _difficult_ what with all his genuine joy at making friends. How was he supposed to—

Yeah his father would go mad if that got back to him. So rather than making friends or going back to normal he decided he'd just stay out of potters way, but as per usual, potter just had to go and make things difficult.   
______  
Seeing Hogwarts in front of him was absolutely spectacular. 

He'd heard about it, Hermione and Ron talking about some big castle but seeing it in front of him. 

It was wonderful. The large grey stone reaching for the sky with pointed sharp tips with a variety of lengths and fluttering flags. The yellow lights were shining through, illuminating the indents of stone and rough texture. 

There were carriages, too. The thestrals dragging it along. They were peaceful and the one dragging his own carriage took a liking to him. Luna gave it a cube of sugar that she happened to have, but no one else seemed to address them much. 

Entering the castle was a little underwhelming compared to the size, that was until he saw the moving pictures and dancing flames. He saw a ghost that seemed intent on scaring them and for the younger ones, he had. 

Glancing around he realized he didn't recognize anyone, though he had the faint taste of too sweet tea and the look of overly done blush. The feel of sharp piercing nails and artificial happiness. 

A boy a bit to his right huffed in impatience and he turned to the abnormally light hair. 

"Hello." He greeted the stranger politely. 

The said stranger looked at him sharply with a scowl. He had blue eyes. 

"Potter." 

Harry blinked at him before turning ahead. He could feel Ron's radiating anger and Hermione's characteristic concern. 

"How are you?" He said trying to make conversation. He briefly bought maybe he should turn to the brown haired Hufflepuff and make conversation with _her._ She would likely be much more well mannered. 

The boy scoffed, straight postured. "Trying to make conversation Potter? You've stooped to a new low."

"So you're a downgrade then?" Harry countered lightly. 

Blondie turned his head to him, slightly shocked, before narrowing his eyes. 

"Excuse me?"

"Much more polite than before" Harry comments "it's just, you told me I'd stooped to 'a new low'. Are you very low then...I didn't catch your name."

The boy stares back wide eyed, any hostility suddenly lost. "Draco" He mutters absently. 

"Right. Draco." Harry sticks his hand out "nice to meet you. You're a Slytherin yeah?" 

He looks down at his tie which almost makes Harry laugh aloud before turning from him. "What's it to you?" 

Harry drops his hand again, not really hurt, it was to be expected, and faces the same way. "I didn't mean anything by it. You shouldn't make assumptions." Harry baits, barely suppressing a smile as the boy scoffs and moves closer to the front. 

"You don't want to hang around him mate." Ron says behind him. 

Harry looks over his shoulder and sees both Hermione and Ron hovering like some sort of co-parents. 

"I think I can make that decision." He says, words feeling slightly familiar. "Besides, shouldn't I try getting to know people on my own?"

"Well, maybe not him..." Hermione mutters. 

Harry starts thinking maybe he _should_ listen if slightly less biased is being slightly more biased. 

"Right." Harry says just as they enter the great hall, Draco falling behind.


	9. Chapter 9

The great hall really does live up to Harry's expectations. Black flags with a large H are flowing due to an imaginary breeze and candles are lit up across the room, hovering on their own accord. At the front is a table that all the teachers seem to be sitting at. There are very large wooden tables, four to be exact, and each color is already sitting at a designated table. 

What really stands out though, is the roof. Harry can only tell because of slight bulges in the sky, where some stars seem to be cut in half at the protruding wood. Still, it really is marvelous. Bright stars and a dark sky contrasting, he can even see shooting stars every now and then. 

Harry is _very_ aware of just how many students are staring at him. 

"Attention students." Dumbledore stands up, ready to give the normal introductory speech. 

Harry mostly tunes it out, unimportant as it is, until he sees the woman Dumbledore mentioned, Professor Umbridge, give a sickeningly sweet and so obviously false cough of interruption.

The woman is covered in pink, her clothes, lipstick and hat all the same shade. Though she isn't wearing any blush (in fact she's quite pale) Harry instantly knows the feeling he felt outside the great hall was specifically for this woman. 

She explains her new position—DADA, and that she's from the ministry of magic. Harry's not quite sure what that means but it must be important because Hermione is looking all wide eyed. 

Ginny however is scoffing "Of course the ministry is interfering." 

Hermione, despite her absolute awe of teachers, seems to agree. "Honestly."

"The ministry?" Harry asks. 

"Kind of like the muggle government." Hermione explains absently, attempting to listen to the speech. 

"I don't like her." Harry says bluntly. Ginny doesn't hold back a laugh. 

"Harry!" Hermione reprimands as Umbridge ends her speech.

"Well I don't." He mutters.

The speech isn't long, in fact it just seemed like a way to politely undermined Dumbledore and Hogwarts at the same time rather than giving any actual information. Ministry worker indeed. 

"What a toad." Ron mutters. 

"Not you too Ron!" Hermione scolds as Ron puts his hands up in defense. 

Looking across the table, Harry could see many people that gave him impressions of them, though some were not as strong and didn't have as many images or senses. 

"Gryffindor is bravery and chivalry right?" He asks, wondering what kind of a person he must've been to be in this house. 

"Well, yes. Noble and reckless too." Hermione admits. 

"Is that what I'm like?" He asks her. Neville stops eating as do Ginny and Hermione but Ron continues as though he hadn't heard. 

"I...well yes. Very much so." She admits. 

"Which ones?" He asks curious. 

"Well, all of them I would think. Extremely reckless, very brave and quite polite."

"But not noble?" He wonders with a frown. 

Hermione looks at him intensely, Ginny looking at Hermione intending to hear the answer. 

"That most of all, I think."

Harry looks back, but the moment has passed and Hermione is looking back down at her schedule. 

"Astronomy last, wonderful class don't you think?" 

"At least it's not potions." Ron mumbles, Ginny smirking at him. 

"Is that what you've got then?" She turns to Ron. 

Ron though, shakes his head. "No, I've got Divination." 

Hermione scoffs angrily and stabs her food. "Of course you're still taking that." 

"Hey! It's—"

"What? What could you possible say in its defense? It's pointless, and—and childish and completely incompetent."

"You forgot easy." Ron says helpfully to a now red faced Hermione. Looking up Rons own face goes pale. 

"What about you mate?" He asks steering the conversation away. Luckily that does it because now Hermione is turning with an interested look. 

"Oh well.. they didn't exactly ask me to sign up for anything, so I suppose I'll have to ask."

Hermione's face immediately looks troublesome "you haven't signed up for classes? What are you doing here then? Go!" She says gesturing rapidly. Harry stands awkwardly at her increasingly hazardous movements. 

"Sign up? For what? I don't know anything about the classes!"

"Okay" Hermione admits quickly "okay well, what are you good in? Do you like creatures? Care of Magical Creatures deals with them constantly."

"Well—"

"You'll want potions that's very important for your career, best keep your options open."

"Uh herm—"

"Ooh! You should take arithmacy, What with all you've mentioned your take on the scientifics of magic—"

"You what?" Ron asks befuddled and horrified alike. 

"Maybe even astronomy! Oh I bet you'd love that! _Don't_ take divination." She orders fiercely. 

"Hermione!" Harry says grabbing her arm. She looks at Harry with wide eyes. 

"I'm sure all those classes are fantastic—" she smiles brightly and Harry thinks maybe those classes wouldn't be too bad after all. "But I want to know what I took before."

"Oh harry! No please, this is your second chance!"

"That bad?" Harry smiles coyly and Hermione's hectic exterior calms a little. 

"Well, I just wished you had tried more, I knew you were smart you just never utilized it. You didn't seem to care at all about your school work actually."

"I promise I will try and I _won't_ attend pointless and childish and incompetent classes." He says pointedly. 

She gives a sigh of relief and Harry starts to wonder how bad he must've actually been doing. 

"And easy." Ron says once again. Hermione seems much more at ease this time though. 

"Oh Ron." She says only slightly frowning. 

"Luna is in astronomy right?" 

Hermione nods rapidly. She probably thinks he'll be more inclined to join if his friends are in it. 

"Well what classes do I _have_ to take? And how many classes can I take altogether?" 

"Well, to actually be able to take a class in our fifth year we have to pass certain tests."

"Tests?" Harry asks wearily. 

"Yes but it's just procedure." Hermione says reassuring "It's an O.W.L exam. We already took them but...with your memory.." Hermione says tepidly. 

"Oh." 

"I'm sure McGonagall will figure something out!" Hermione says Ron nodding frantically behind her. 

"You're lucky you forgot taking them" Ginny says sliding closer to them from the other side of the table "Ron almost puked when it started, you should've seen his face." Ginny jokes as Ron's face turns red. 

"Oh! There's Michael. Well, I guess I'll leave you to it." She smiles innocently and bounds off, Ron already bursting with anger without getting a word out. Harry blinks, feeling metaphorical whiplash as she leaves, hair chasing behind her as she races off. 

"What classes do you like?" Hermione asks. 

Harry turns to her and frowns "well, Care Of Magical Creatures sounds fantastic, and Defense Against the Dark Arts is a given. Arithmacy sounds nice—"

"You'd love it Harry!"

"...but I don't think I know enough."

"Know enough? Honestly Harry, you'll do great!" Embarrassed with the compliment and Hermione's confidence in him, he continues with "That's if I get in."

"No doubt." Hermione says shortly going back to her timetable "you'd better get going, McGonagalls already left." 

Turning, Harry realizes she _has_ left and he stands up "Thanks Mione" she pauses before breaking out into a smile and jumps up.

Harry only briefly moves away with wide eyes and a pounding heart before realizing she was going for a hug. Luckily though, no one seemed to notice his reluctance. 

Harry wanders around the castle slowly, not all too concerned with finding her office right away. He sees a cat that hisses at him sharply. 

"Hello there." He bends down, hand out to let the cat smell him, not making a move to approach her. 

The cat looks ready to claw his eyes out but Harry has dealt with enough creatures to know that first impressions aren't always right. 

It takes a lot longer than expected, the cat seems very cautious at first but that soon gives away to curiosity and soon she's rubbing her head against him, purring very loudly. 

The cats gone sooner than he'd expect—The feline is rather introverted, and he sets off to find the teacher once more. 

He passes a ghost that's named 'Peeves' or something of the like. _It really_ doesn't like him, but he doesn't take it personal. He also passes many portraits, some very friendly and others ignoring him altogether. He almost expects even the knights to move, but they stand completely still. 

He almost walks straight off a ledge when he realizes there's nothing below him. 

Looking up he sees stairs. Moving stairs. How was anyone supposed to get anywhere with these? It seemed almost random. Harry attempted to find a pattern, but was severely disappointed. You'd think with all the 'practice' he's gone through...

It took maybe seven rides before he arrived to the intended location. He was much higher than the place he had just come from, stairs circling around below him. He was pretty sure this staircase was the cause of at least one ghost. 

How could this possibly be a _school_? There were _eleven_ year olds here. 

Knocking on the red wood Harry waits for the teacher to answer. He here's a strong 'come in' and opens the door which is surprisingly not as creaky as it looks. 

"Ah. Mr. Potter. I wondered when you would show up." She places her black quill down onto the table. 

"Yeah well, Hermione mentioned that I haven't any classes." 

"Yes, as you may...know" Harry strongly suspected she was about to say remember if her expression was anything to go by "OWLs were attended last year and any information you may have answered is now fault and unreliable. Thankfully, you won't have to retake the entirety of the OWLs however" she says as Harry's hopeful expression. 

"That does not mean we can place you in any said class. There will still need to be some sort of sensible placement but we just don't have the time for a retake. So, I have condensed version, it may be slightly less accurate but the time will be heavily shortened."

"Right, and this test—"

"It will show which classes you are capable of taking, but the classes you are given are entirely up to you. Though I would suggest you meet with me so we can decide what would best suit you." 

Harry nods and stands patiently waiting for the next instruction. 

"I hope you're ready." 

"Oh—now?" Harry asks looking at the papers she was working on. 

"If you think you're ready." She amends. 

"Well I don't think studying would do much for me." He smiles and he can see that through her strict and stony personality there is a lot of good humor hidden underneath. 

"I think not. Get on with it." She says lightly, picking the quill up and scribbling on parchment. 

Harry looks down at the test, and finds that even though the strategies in which he was taught everything he knows were... questionable, he was rather thankful he knew what he was doing now. 

The test, as promised, was short and quick. Having still around two hours till curfew he looked at the professor. 

Now that he focused, he saw she was wearing green. An emerald like color. She wore a pointy hat over her put up grey hair, plain blue eyes, and knowing it was rude, he thought she looked a little old. Still though, he thought she was a very respectable and he found he rather liked her. 

There was a long silence, and Harry thought he could taste...bread? That was slightly weird. Less weird though, was the protective and comforting presence that she left behind. 

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" 

Harry blushed and looked down. "Sorry, it's just...you're very familiar."

She looked up slightly, before going back to her papers. "Not in a bad way" Harry says swiftly "You smell like fire." She looks at him with an amused frown and Harry clacks his mouth shut red faced. "That sounded weird. I just meant—you remind me of someone." 

She folded her hands to give him her full attention. "And who would that be?" She asked kindly. 

Harry looked at her searchingly and she made no move to stop him, rather she gave a seemingly rare and small smile. 

"Adrestia." He says softly. 

The woman doesn't recognize the name, how could she? "Is that a good thing, Mr. Potter?"

He looks up at her and then at his paper "Its the best compliment I could ever give." 

They talk a little while after that, the Professor is much warmer than Harry would've thought and they have a lot to talk about. Especially when she mentions—

"You knew my parents?" 

She gives a nostalgic laugh "oh yes. Your father was quite the trouble maker. He was clever yes, but he didn't ever really apply it to his schoolwork, with all the playing around he did, well, let's just say I was relieved every year he passed. Your mother however, she followed rules to the dot. Sharp as a tack that one. Though, with how well they fit together it's a surprise that it took all of six years for Lily to accept a date with your father. Many say your mother was the stubborn one but with all the waiting your father did." She sighs to herself. 

Harry's almost glad that he didn't quite know his parents, because they were the only ones people willingly discussed with him. People tended to turn a blind eye to the fact that he couldn't remember a single person. 

"But" She continues shaking him out of his revere "I'm sure you'd much rather head back to your dormitory." 

They still have another hour so Harry asks "my tests...do they happen to be done?"

She looks at him for a minute before she answers "I'm sure you would like to know your results."

Harry nods. "Your knowledge in Muggle Studies and History of Magic are severely lacking and at the age you are, it's simply impossible for you to keep up with the other students. However your marks for Arithmacy, Care Of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against the Dark Arts were exceeding my every expectation. I highly encourage taking those classes, Transfiguration was shown to be another subject that you are well versed in, and your herbology, charms, and potions were adequate. Study of Ancient Runes was a close one and Divination is a subject you would be able to take although you seemed to know very little on the subject and frankly, the class is rather pointless if you don't have a natural ability which seems very unlikely in your case."

Harry takes this in, he knows for sure he's taking the classes that McGonagall complimented him in, if not for his marks then for his wonder in each subject. He is however unsure about the rest and admits to this. 

"Well do you have a career in mind." Harry stares at her with a blank look "right, well it is mandatory to take Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Herbology, Charms, and Potions. You also may choose Study of Ancient Runes, if you truly think you could handle it." 

"Well, can I take Arithmacy and Care Of Magical Creatures?" He asks looking at his red tie. 

"Of course." She says writing down something. "In that case, here is your schedule Mr. Potter." 

"You can call me Harry." He says quietly glancing up unsurely. 

"Harry." She corrects. "Off you go, it's not long until curfew." 

Harry nods before standing up, looking at the schedule in hand and smiling excitedly at seeing Astronomy.

The dorm is just as expected for a Gryffindor, bursting with red and gold, a cozy couch with a warm fireplace and tables placed around. Harry heads up the very narrow set of stairs. 

The beds match the atmosphere downstairs, bright and cheery. Ron is sitting on his bed, leaning on his bedpost. 

"Harry! We were wondering when you'd get back. You were gone a bit, where were you?" 

"Like I said, I was talking to Professor McGonagall." 

"For all that time?" Ron asks bemused. 

"She's very nice." 

"Nice? She threatened to turn us into a watch in first year!" Harry feels his smile creeping up. 

"I'm sure we deserved it." He says in a joking voice.

Ron sputters But Harry is already turning to the other two. 

"I'm Harry, but you probably already know that."

Dean and Seamus just stare at him. "Of course we know that." Dean says tentatively. 

Harry nods "and you?" 

"How long have we known each other?" Dean asks rhetorically. 

"Well technically not at all."

"Harry lost his memory." Ron says quickly. 

The other two look at Harry for assurance "you do have names don't you?"

"Oh uh, I'm Dean, this is Seamus." 

"Nice to meet you." 

There's a long silence before Ron decides he doesn't actually care and turns his light off to flop onto his pillow. 

"Well, night." Neville says awkwardly, the other two following. 

Harry doesn't fall asleep for a long time.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a bit of cursing in this chapter just so you know 
> 
> OMGGGG guys I just realized I didn’t explain what’s going on AT ALL. Thank you for that comment letting me know. You know who you are. Anyway, this is Harry’s time when he was kidnapped. This is basically his experience while he was missing and this is a sort of flashback thing. There will be a lot of flashbacks in future chapters. Sorry!!

**KIDNAPPING**

The hand over Harry's arm was sure to leave bruises and he already felt sore.

****

He pulled his arm back as hard as he could but the hand just tightened. He looked up to see a man with very short blond hair, a short stubble beard to match. He had a lighter skin tone, but still not pale. He was very strong, with plain blue eyes. If Harry wasn't in the process of being kidnapped, he might think this man looked rather ordinary.

****

He was wearing the same uniform as everyone else: a black top with golden buckles and shoulder...things. It pretty much looked the same as the Victorian guard uniform he'd seen in one of his muggle books when he was twelve.

****

The man pulled him ahead to hurry him along. Harry made a noise of protest but the man didn't turn to him.

****

Harry walked past four cells—a little girl—maybe six, in a extremely large cell with no bars but a very large almost bubblelike window, Two middle aged men in a smaller cell with bronze bars, a cell completely covered with only a slot for food, and one more with another teenage boy—albeit slightly older Harry thinks, with wide spaced bars which only keep the boy in through what looks like electricity. He has greyish eyes and red hair and is looking at Harry with pitying eyes, although Harry thinks maybe he's the one who should be pitying the older boy.

****

He's roughly shoved into an empty stone cell, and he falls harshly onto the freezing ground that now has a splotch of red. Harry's hands are scraped. He shoves down any outbursts that come forth leaving him shaking with suppressed emotion. He always was a bit emotional.

****

He turns, the bars look strangely breakable compared to the other cells but Harry isn't complaining.

****

The walls are a cool grey, unwelcoming just as he would expect, its completely silent except for the little girls watery singing and Harry breathed in filled with emotion.

****

What was a child doing here? What was he doing here? He is shooting up straight at the sound of distant screaming. He pushes himself up and slams against the bars.

****

"Hey" He mutters then louder "Hey! Stop! What are you doing!"

****

A man he hasn't seen before steps forward, he wasn't as alone as he thought, and jabs a piece of...metal? Through—

****

All thought process has stopped because he's literally _on fire he's burning and he could swear he was dying because everything hurts._

****

He's breathing heavy and it's moments later he realizes his eyes are open and looking up at the ceiling. His fingers twitch and he can't feel the ground beneath him, just the numb tingling of his fingers. He realizes that the man has gone and the screaming had stopped.

****

He sits up after an hours deliberation—he thinks an hour, and hears the screaming once more.

****

"Stop" he mumbles stumbling up "Stop you're hurting her—"

****

The man is there again and Harry trips to the back of the cage, the man is smirking.

****

Harry takes an immediate dislike—this man has brown sleek hair, and like the other man is also very strong. He has extremely boring brown eyes.

****

"Learned your lesson have we?" He says in a thick Russian accent.

****

"Who is that?" Harry asks hoarsely from the back of the cage.

****

"That's not for you to know." He replies, moving closer. Harry wishes the cage were larger.

****

"What is that?" Harry glances down

****

"This?" He asks, pointing it at Harry who takes a sharp breath.

****

"A cattle prod" He smiles sadistically. "Want to see how it works?"

****

Harry doesn't respond, but he does flinch away when the electricity sparks forth and makes spitting noises.

****

"That's what I thought." He turns away and Harry can here the screaming come to a sudden stop. He hopes the woman hasn't died.

****

Minutes later he hears animalistic screeching  
and growls "let me go you _fuckers_ ” the girl yanks and scratches and bites with everything in her. She catches sight of Harry's cage as she passes.

****

"You assholes." She breathes half fury and half disbelief, a tinge of sadness. "How many do you need?" When they don't answer she addresses Harry "They'll promise you things, tell you things but they're lying." One of them shoves her forward but she pulls them back to get closer to Harry, her black short hair thick and out of control makes her look insane "They'll manipulate you and pretend they're helping you but they're not, they're not!"

****

The girl is stabbed with the electrical...cattle prod, and her knees buckle "No! Stop it—stop!" Harry yells knuckles white over the bars.

****

Encompassing pain. Harry's falls to the floor. Looking at her from this angle, Harry can see her pale skin and soft features. Although her skin is very white, Harry realizes that it's what ties her features together. Harry doesn't know if hers is less painful or if she's just gotten used to it, because she doesn't seem to be in much pain.

****

She's yanked up before he can get a good look and moments later she's gone. "Your turn." One of the gruff men who was holding her (and how many people were here?) unlocks the door and grabs Harry's hair.

****

"Hey!" He yells, his own hands wrapping around the others to avoid him from pulling.

****

That doesn't seem to do much though because almost immediately Harry manages to trip. The man doesn't seem to care and before he can drag Harry across the floor he regains his footing.

****

"What are you—"

****

"Quiet." He pulls on his hair for emphasis and tosses Harry into a room with one big window and four business looking men watching inwards. Harry turns to the door but it's already slamming in his face.

****

He turns around, the four men staring intensely. Their clothes speak casual sophistication. One has a buzz cut and a very dark tan, the one next to him has brown straight hair, on his right has black curly hair, though every single curl seems to have a place. Lastly is a man with long brown hair tied back, a few strands in front of his blue and brown eyes.

****

"You are Harry Potter?" The second man asks, another Russian accent.

****

Harry stays silent and buzz cut writes something down much to Harry's displeasure.

****

Pony tail sighs in disappointment. "Unsurprising." He mutters to curly. "He met Adrestia I hear."

****

Curly clicks his tongue and looks at Harry "that seems to become a pattern does it not?" A mix of British and French.

****

"Where am I?" Harry demands.

****

Buzz cut lifts an eyebrow unimpressed. "Classification level? Any ideas?" He asks the other four.

****

Harry growls in frustration and turns in a circle before looking out the window and behind the men. There are people milling about completely ignoring Harry. It looks like a large facility, like he wasn't just kidnapped at random like, like an actual organization.

****

"Pretty low level it seems, his test scores in that school of his weren't extraordinary." The others hum in agreement and Harry narrows his eyes at curly.

****

"Come in here and we'll see how low level I am." Harry spouts back only realizing _after_ he's said it that he doesn't have his wand.

****

One huffs a laugh and another's mouth twitches.

****

"I doubt this will take long." Pony tail says again.

****

"What will?" Harry asks knowing they won't address him.

****

Shockingly though, brown hair who hasn't spoken up to this point, stands up to lean forward "Shut your mouth unless you're ordered otherwise."

****

"Alexander." Buzzcut hisses as he pulls him back into his seat. 'Alexanders eyes twitches but he falls silent.

****

"And people say I'm temperamental." Harry baits successfully. The man stands and paces angrily around the table to come up to the glass. standing this close, Harry sees that Alexander has grey eyes much like the teenage boys—though his have a blue tint to them.

****

"Enough!" Buzzcut stands as well and gestures to one of the workers whose staring straight ahead "Please escort Alex away until he can control his attitude."

****

This must happen a lot because curly has a hand over his eyes and pony tail is shaking his head.

****

"Where were we?"

****

"Subject has lashed out multiple times and shows restless behavior." Curly mentions to their apparent leader—Buzzcut.

****

"Trevor please, begin the experiment." Pony tail—Trevor, leans to the device beside him.

****

"What are you doing?" Harry asks quickly, reminded of the screaming girl. "What is that?"

****

"So many questions." Trevor says.

****

The device is buzzing but their isn't much difference in the atmosphere. Harry frowns but doesn't say anything.

****

"And now we wait." Buzzcut leans back, the other two mimicking him.

****

The wait, though, isn't long.

****

They take turns monitoring Harry, sometimes they only glance every once in a while, but other times, when Harry seems to get a little more irritated, they focus without glancing away until the next person decides its their shift.

****

There are only three people now, Alexander has apparently been forced to avoid Harry, so it's just Trevor and the nameless two, though Harry has learned that Buzzcut is often called Felix.

****

Harry has made a full circle around the box seven times before growing bored and many failed attempts at opening the doors fake golden handle.

****

The ceiling is much higher than the room is wide, it reaches maybe fourteen feet up and Harry can see a skylight letting in golden rays of sun. At least it's pretty.

****

There's a loud sound making Harry face the window. Curly has a clipboard.

****

"You're not real talkative now are you?" He asks his accent flittering in.

****

"What happened to all that temper?" He asks glancing at the paper.

****

Harry stays silent _just_ because the other man seemed to want his response.

****

He doesn't seem surprised though, just taps the clipboard with his pen. "So" He starts again "I'm Oliver, just so you have a name to put to the face." He doesn't look up.

****

"Pleasure." Harry replies sarcastically.

****

Oliver looks amused "You know, not many are so arrogant when they're trapped in a cage; surrounded by strangers."

****

Harry's hands turn to fists at being called arrogant but he tries not to react "yes well, attempted murder will do that to you."

****

"So someone's tried to murder you before?" He asks surprised as he sits down.

****

How can he _not_ know about that? He knew about Hogwarts, Shouldn't they know about him? Harry voices this aloud.

****

"Well we haven't been interested in you for very long." He says honestly.

****

"You don't have to be."

****

The man frowns up at him "and why is that?"

****

He doesn't know. He can't know, if he did he wouldn't be asking that. He doesn't know about Harry Potter being 'Harry boy who lived Potter'

****

"Guess." Harry says instead.

****

The man tilts his head up and breaths in. Harry's surprised he's not trying to make Harry angry, the others have tried unsuccessfully which only makes Harry refuse all the more.

****

"Who were those other people?" Harry asks.

****

"The ones in cages?" He points towards the door with his pen. He says it so casually "other experiments let's say."

****

"We aren't experiments." Harry replies angrily.

****

"No? Could've fooled me."

****

And maybe it's because he hadn't said anything horrible yet, maybe it's because he never gave any indication that he'd been trying to rile Harry up but just like Snape, just like Malfoy and Vernon and—Merlin Dumbledore at times, Harry responds.

****

"They're people!" He yells stepping forward.

****

Oliver suddenly looks so interested and Harry wants that, wants him to _pay attention_ because his stupid causal attitude and overly neat hair is making Harry want to scream—didn't you see that girls hair? Didn't you see the way _she_ screamed?

****

"Are you so sure?"

****

"Yes!" Harry growls "What's the matter with you?"

****

"What's the big deal?" Oliver replies, his casual attitude contradicting his intense gaze.

****

"This isn't humane! This is—it's torture, it's wrong!"

****

"We don't care." He says, and Harry sees a flicker of something, like he's lying, or maybe regretful or scared.

****

"This isn't—you can't—you can't treat us like animals—"

****

"We can do whatever we want." He leans forward "you're helpless."

****

Harry screams.

****

The tinted skylight above him shatters, glass falling from the sky and landing beneath him, trembling on the ground with a constant clinking noise, like an earthquake. The light that filtered in goes dark because _somehow_ Harry's own anger is making the sunlight inside these walls become devoured in darkness. Oliver is breathing in with awe and curiosity. He doesn't deserve to be in awe. Harry wants him to be _scared._

****

Just like Harry.

****

Theres a screeching noise and the walls seem to crumble. The door handle flies into the glass window ahead of him, making it crack slightly. The glass on the ground reflects what looks like stars, glinting dangerously. Oliver looks a little weary, but not extremely surprised. Then the lights flicker.

****

The ones outside the cage.

****

Oliver is standing up now, looking above him with wide eyes. The people who had been ignoring him stop in their steps and Felix comes in.

****

"What's going on?" He demands stepping closer to the window, Harry breathing in heavily behind it.

****

"I—you said make him—you said he has to be angry." Oliver defends weakly.

****

"Turn it off."

****

Harry sees something flicker in the corner of his eyes and brings his hand up. He sees light form around his fingertips, sparkling and shifting to flow around his hand, like glitter swirling underwater. The gold reflecting heavenly in his green eyes and dark hair. It's the first time Harry found destruction beautiful.

****

"Now!"

****

Oliver does so, the light suddenly evaporates out of existence and the glass becomes still. The lights outside have burned out.

****

Harry's anger also seems to have given way because he's suddenly falling into the wall for support. This though, doesn't seem to affect the other two because they're still looking at him like he's the most important thing in the room.

****

"Classification" Alexander says suddenly, Harry not having noticed he was in the room "he needs a classification level, and a name"

****

"I have a name." His voice shakes as he stands up straighter.

****

He's ignored in favor for Felix announcing "no. We can't, not until the background check."

****

Background check?

****

"You saw what just happened!" Alexander lashes out. Harry's only now noticing he's put square glasses on since the last time he saw him.

****

"Yes. I. Did." Felix faces him with a hard look. Alexander swallows and looks at Harry, glare in place. Harry doesn't have be energy to glare back.

****

"Take him to cell 728." Felix says turning away.

****

"With Adrestia?" Trevor questions in confusion.

****

"It's the only cell suitable."

****

Trevor nods and so does Oliver (Alex is ignoring them all in a fit of humiliation and aggression) "all right take him."

****

Hearing that though, puts all the fight back in him. He steps away from the wall and turns to see the door unmoving, but not for long.

****

He has to think quickly, there's not much he can do and he's basically cornered but he has to think of _something._

****

He grabs a piece of glass.

****

It's biting into his hand, and there's a little red but he's used to pain. "Hey! Drop it!"

****

Harry sees Oliver push one of the normal attendants out of the doorway and in front of Harry.

****

Harry's already assumed a defensive position, hands out one holding the glass. "Don't make this harder than it has to be." Oliver says, rich accent standing out. It reminds him of Fleur Delacour and her classmates just that year. The world just couldn't give him a break.

****

"Move." Harry demands.

****

"You know I can't do that." Harry tries slashing outward but Oliver grabs the wrist wielding the weapon and squeezes until Harry is forced to drop it. Harry gives it up in favor of smashing his nose in—something he learned from all of those days of Harry hunting.

****

He slips past but Oliver trips him up with his leg. Harry lands on small and large pieces of reflecting glass alike. It cuts into his hands and knees and suddenly he's being pulled up.

****

His hands are behind his back and Oliver, much to Harry's humiliation, is brushing glass off of Harry's t-shirt.

****

"Let go!" Harry shouts kicking a leg back.

****

"I'm doing you a favor. Be lucky it's me and not Alex." He berates in Harry's ear, not loud enough for the others to listen in.

****

"Get cell 728 ready." Oliver talks into some black device that, when a voice says back "your wish is my command." In a suave voice, reminds him of a radio.

****

"It's a command." Oliver comments, the guy on the other line huffing, amused.

****

"Cmon now." Oliver mutters, his hands pressuring but not painful over Harry's wrists. It's almost demeaning.

****

Harry fights back most of the way, and passing a cell a guard stops him and tells him he should 'just quiet him.'

****

Harry's glad he doesn't get to find out what that means.

****

Oliver gives a little push into the cell that is holding an asleep girl and boy. The girl is from earlier, Adrestia he remembers.

****

He turns to Oliver but the man is already gone. He now notices that there doesn't seem to be bars, but rather the air in front of the space is translucent except for the shimmering specks of red, fire-like in the way they dance across the air. He goes to touch it, but a sharp voice stops him.

****

"Don't."

****

Facing the girl, he notices she has a very soft face—a button nose, thin black eyebrows and pink heart shaped lips. Her hair is still crazy.

****

The boy, is a sharp contrast. He has brown fluffy hair and extremely sharp features, big but clean eyebrows and red lips. His eyes are closed.

****

"I thought you were asleep." Harry admits.

****

"I was." She says unblinking "but it never lasts long."

****

He doesn't know how to reply so he looks back at the entrance.

****

"Or do."

****

He turns to her for an explanation but she offers none, sitting still in place.

****

He turns and his fingers barely glide across before the area around it pulses red, he hears a sharp ringing that makes him feel like his head will explode and he's falling backwards, just barely stopping himself from hitting the ground.

****

"Interesting." She comments "most don't."

****

"Why'd you let me?" He asks voice tinged with betrayal and annoyance.

****

Her lip tilts up. "He's waking."

****

Suddenly the boy gasps awake, hands clawing at the ground.

****

"Hey." Harry says crawling closer to him "You okay?" He asks gently.

****

Adrestia tilts her head in curiosity. The boy blinks disorientated at him before slowly nodding his head.

****

"What made them put you here?" He asks looking towards the clear doorway.

****

Harry smiled falsely "I don't think they appreciate sarcasm."

****

The boy smiles up at him coyly. He seems very shy, strange compared to his defining features.

****

"What's your name?" The boy asks him curious.

****

"Harry Potter. Yours?"

****

"Aceso. It means healer." He says almost excitedly.

****

"It's nice to meet you." Harry says pointedly ignoring their dreary surroundings and the circumstances of which they're meeting in.

****

"Right." The girl says in a snarky voice. "Harry right?" She asks.

****

Harry nods "not for long."

****

"And why's that?" He shifts to sit on the floor. It's warmer than the last cell. The stone walls reflect the red in an orange tone.

****

"What, you really think my name is Adrestia? Please." She waves a hand.

****

"Then... what's your real name?"

****

"I don't know. And neither does he. They give you a name, and you accept it. That's how this works."

****

"You're a real charmer you know." Harry says flatly.

****

She has another brief look of mirth before Harry asks "he said something about a background check? For the names and classification. What was that about?"

****

She rubs at her dirt covered nails giving them her full attention.

****

"It's to know more about you. It helps them give you a name that represents you." Aceso says light hearted.

****

He looks to Adrestia and before he can ask she looks up, not moving her face from her nails "it means revolt, in case you're wondering."

****

Harry's face scrunches up in confusion "the rioting one, not in disgust." She rolls her eyes.

****

"I'm sure..." he says leaving room for discussion with a sly smile.

****

She gives a small and tentative and yet so genuine smile, that Harry's glad he has the sarcasm that so many others hate, even if it's just for this one instance.

****


	11. Chapter 11

**PRESENT**  
Harry is woken by sunlight leaking in through his curtains and illuminating his skin, dark eyelashes fluttering open.

Harry has to close his eyes from the bright light before, slowly opening them up again. 

"Rise and shine!" Dean shouts causing the other three to groan. 

"Knock it off mate!" Ron throws his pillow at Dean and Seamus covers his head with his own. 

"Come on, up and at em!" He smiles pulling Neville sheets off who in turn curls in on himself to sustain any type of warmth. 

"What time is it?" Seamus groans from beneath the pillows. 

"Bloody hell." Run says, face squished in he blankets. 

"Good mor—" He rips Harry's curtains open to see Harry sitting up "Oh hello, well at least someone's an early waker." 

Ron looks over and groans. "Please Harry, please tell me you're not." When Harry doesn't answer Ron rolls over in dramatic disappointment. 

"I can't believe this, what else has changed then?" It's meant as a joke but Harry still swallows at the unexpected guilt. 

"Wait I didn't—that's not what—" 

"It's alright, Ron. Really." Harry gives a small smile to show his genuinely before hopping off to the bathroom. Through the door Harry can hear the conversation continue. 

"Really mate?" 

"I didn't mean to!" Ron defends. There's a thump—they must be getting up now. 

They briefly talk about classes and their lack of completed homework before Harry tunes them out momentarily. It's terrifying and unexpected. 

"Have you seen Trevor?" 

Harry recoils violently, sprawling back. The back of his knees hit the tub and he unintentionally falls in, shower curtains along with him. He hits his head on the tile behind him. 

"Harry?"

"You alright mate?"

"S' going on?" 

Harry hears them but he's too busy slowing his breathing at the taste of salt and copper—Trevor's face comes into view and Harry hears a loud piercing ringing. 

"Harry! I'm coming in alright?"

"No." Harry manages to choke out wetly. "I'm fine, I'm okay." 

His hands are still shaking and he's not quite sure he can stand up so he lets himself lay in the porcelain tub as he catches his breath. He hates how boneless he feels. 

"Are you sure?" He hears Neville ask uncertainly. 

"Yes. I'm—go to class I'll be down in—down in a minute." Harry is forced to clamp his eyes shut when he feels like crying. 

Gaining his composure isn't actually too hard, he stuffs down the fear rather quickly and his hands aren't shaking so hard that he can't get up. 

He hears a soft 'okay' from someone—he isn't sure who, and waits till he can't hear any signs of life on the other side of the door. 

There's a bruise on his forearm from the tub and his head hurts but he feels okay, so it can't be that bad. 

He gets dressed and sees Hedwig brought a letter for him. "Hello girl." He says quietly. 

She hoots softly and Harry just loves her so much. "What's this here hmm?"

He untangles the thick envelope from her leg and sees it's closed with a light lilac stamp. He places it onto the table next to his bed and opens the drawer he put Hedwigs treats in. 

She is seemingly very happy with this and Harry reaches to smooth out her pure white feathers. "Thanks Hedwig." The very intelligent creature nudges him before flying off for the Owlery. 

Unsticking the wax from the paper Harry slips out the parchment with black cursive writing. 

_'Dear Harry,_  
I know it's only the second day of Hogwarts, and honestly, we weren't sure if you'd appreciate a letter so soon, but Padfoot convinced me. Padfoot and I both wish we could've seen your expression upon entering Hogwarts, but you know how it is with Padfoot. How was your first day? Padfoot thinks this is bollocks to put in a letter, but I'm very interested in what classes you've taken. Then again, Padfoot is stuck here for who knows how long so he probably won't like anything I write and would rather steal the parchment for himself. You know what he's like. Reply soon, we miss you.  
With love,  
Moony and Padfoot' 

Harry unconsciously smiles and fingers the edges of the paper. He doesn't have enough time to write a reply, so he supposes he'll have to do so after classes.

He heads down for breakfast and checks his schedule while waiting on the moving staircases. He finds out that he has Arithmacy with the Slytherins first and right after is Care Of Magical Creatures with the Ravenclaws. Unfortunately as he was looking at his schedule he'd already passed where he wanted to go and was somewhere four stair cases above his destination. He had two more attempts before he was on the right floor.

"Where were you?!" Hermione shrieks once he's in the great hall and sat down for breakfast with only ten minutes to spare. 

"You do realize I don't know a thing about this maze." Harry says flatly as he takes a bite into a piece of bacon. 

Hermione's expression clears up and she turns to glare at Ron. "Why didn't you—"

"I forgot! Jeeze Hermione" 

"How could you _forget?"_ She asks, but then her face goes from anger to realization and finally to a mix of embarrassment and sadness. "Right." She replies stiffly "well I suppose it's a good thing you got here on time. We have Arithmacy together." 

"Oh lucky you! How come I don't get to share a class with you?" Ron asked childishly. 

"Well _maybe_ if you'd dropped divination _like I said_ you should." She said turning her face away and her nose up. Harry thought she might be acting a little childish as well but knew that kind of comment wouldn't be taken well. 

"Let's go, the class is on the other side of the castle."

"But—" Harry gestured to his bacon. 

"Oh bring it along if you have to." She said dragging him up. He grabbed another piece of bacon before she yanked him from his plate. 

"No wonder I'm so scrawny." Harry mutters.

Harry headed off to class, Hermione pulling on his wrist all the way up causing him a slight and yet unavoidable feeling of annoyance. 

Once they were on the third floor of Hogwarts, Hermione confidently pushed open the door and whispered to him "my favorite class to be completely honest, but Professor Vector is a bit strict." Hermione admitted. 

Hermione pulled him into a seat besides her and the teacher walked up to the front, heels clacking. She had dark hair and was rather pale, she seemed to be on the younger side for a Professor. 

The class was extremely enjoyable, though he could tell she was only giving them introductory work. She was stricter than Hermione let on if the amount of homework meant anything, but Harry was completely enthralled with the lesson. 

Care of Magical Creatures, however, was quite the opposite. The lesson began with bowtruckles. Harry would be disappointed seeing as how he was well acquainted with the creatures, but he couldn't help the fond and happy feeling that came with them. 

Harry couldn't honestly say he found out anything he didn't know before, but he was still glad with the chance to observe and communicate with the tiny things. 

"Arry! You 'ave no idea 'ow glad I am to see you!" (AN. I'm so sorry for the horrendous accent I can't right accents) 

Harry looked up from the bowtruckle that was swinging on his index finger to see a large man with a long brown beard. 

"I was gettin' worried, you've been missin' an awful long time." Hagrid said in a loud and happy voice. 

"Oh, Hello. You're Hagrid, aren't you?" Harry said remembering the name listed on his schedule and desperately hoping he didn't just embarrass himself by assuming their identity. 

The man looked at him dazed and confused before "Course I am! Who'd you think I was?" 

"Well, it's just... I don't know if you know this, but I don't remember Hogwarts." Hagrid expression crumpled. "Or magic, or really...anything." 

The man looked close to crying and after multiple attempts Harry's was able to calm the man down. He still seemed put out but that was to be expected. Harry thinks he and Hagrid were close, before everything. 

They found one thing in common though: they both loved magical creatures. 

Hagrid was delighted upon hearing this and immediately went into a rant about how they couldn't possibly be dangerous. Harry nodded supportively, and though he thought that maybe Hagrid was being a bit biased, Harry didn't mention anything. 

"E's taken a likin' to ya." Hagrid said lookin at the bowtruckle that was how rummaging around in his hair. 

"It almost makes me feel bad about ending class." Harry answers as the thing comes to swing from his ear to his shoulder causing his glasses to slip down a little before Harry absently pushes them back up. 

Hermione shrieked and Harry turned to see Ron fumbling with a very angry bowtruckle that was tightly wound in Hermione's curls. Harry suspected that the whole mess might've been Rons fault, but went to help the poor bowtruckle before Ron yanked a twig off. 

Lunch was less uneventful. Harry went to sit down at Gryffindor table when Professor McGonagall came up to him. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you." She said in a professional voice. 

"Did he say what for?" Harry asked looking up from the note she'd handed him that contained the password to his office. 

"Do I look like an owl to you Mr. Potter?" She said strictly. Harry got the feeling that her tight lipped expression was due to the students mulling around them. 

"I'm not really seeing the resemblance, no."

Her lips just barely twitched up before she answered with a quick 'of you go', turning with a swish of her robes. 

Harry took his time in going up the steps and came across a large golden statue of a Griffin and somehow he knew he was in the right place. He glanced down at the paper before quietly saying it aloud and the statue twisted to reveal a large set of stairs. 

Harry stepped atop the stairs and climbed up until he was met with a door. Harry knocked twice and Dumbledore welcomed him in. 

The room was magnificent. It was rather large and Harry could see staircases that led to a library built into the wall. He could see stone pillars that created a large doorway like entrance to a desk filled with paperwork. There was an empty perch—for an owl, Harry supposed. He noticed there were dozens of moving portraits. Harry noticed there were many magical objects laying about. 

"Hello Harry." He said from his seat. 

"Professor." 

When Dumbledore noticed Harry glancing at the long wooden pole. 

"Ah. Fawks is off hunting, I believe." 

"Fawks?" Harry asked. 

Dumbledores eyes seemed to darken a little before he gave a slightly sad smile. "Ah, yes. My Phoenix."

Harry's eyes widened and he quickly looked towards the empty perch, as if Fawks would suddenly appear. 

"A Phoenix?" Harry whispered in awe. 

"You're familiar." Dumbledore said standing up to move around the desk. 

"Uh, yes they're—" Harry shook his head. "Is there something you needed Professor?"

"Yes, yes. I know you've only been attending Hogwarts for a day, but it is crucial that you give me any information that you could've obtained from... wherever it is you were taken." 

Harry stares at the well meaning teacher with one thought dancing in the depths of his mind, random and unimportant and yet it wraps around his lungs and squeezes out the air and there's a whispering voice saying one thing. 

_The greater good._

Harry sees purple robes covered in golden stars, a trilling sound of a bird—a Phoenix, and the jingling of wind chimes, He feels fingers wrapping around a chess piece. 

"I uh" He stars when he sees Dumbledore waiting "Id rather not."

"I understand, but Harry, you must know that this is critical. There is another missing student, Clara. It's very important to her family—"

"I'm sorry." Harry bends his head so he isn't looking at his headmaster. "I can't. I'm sorry about her, and her family, but I can't." He says despite knowing that this is costing someone—Clara's, mother or father or brother a chance at finding her. But he can't. "I'm sorry."

Harry leaves before Dumbledore can say anything else and he leans against the railing of the stairs as he heads back to lunch. 

Harry wishes he were stronger. He wishes he could do the right thing. 

Harry can't ever go back. 

The moment he enters the hall and sits beside his friends Ron is sitting up straighter "what'd he want?" 

"Nothing. Just to talk." Harry lies regretfully. It's too easy. 

"Ugh. Boring." Ron says, but Hermione eyes him like she knows he's not being completely honest. 

"Are you sure? Why would he want to talk? Couldn't he—"

"Yes Hermione I'm sure." He snaps harshly. Ron stops eating his food to glance at him and Hermione moves back in her seat, startled. 

"Sorry." He mutters. 

Harry suddenly misses Luna's dreamy personality and her lack of questioning. "Hey, where is Luna?"

"At the Ravenclaw table I’d expect." Neville answers tentatively. Harry nods his head and stands up. 

"What are you doing?" Hermione says confused. She sounds sad. 

"To the Ravenclaw table apparently." 

Harry takes his seat next to Luna who looks over. "Hullo Harry Potter." 

"Hello Luna. Did you like your classes?" Harry asks ignoring the other Ravenclaws slightly disgusted looks. Honestly, Harry would much rather spend his time with Luna then them. Luckily it seemed not all Ravenclaws were like that, and most were minding their business. 

"Very much. The bowtruckles were quite pleasant, don't you think?" She asks, blue eyes blinking up at him. Looking at her, he thinks her skin is quite pale, but not unflattering. 

"Yeah, though I don't think Hermione would agree." 

"They're very troublesome creatures." She amends as if that is the reason behind Hermione dislike. "Though very helpful." 

"Yeah." Harry says. He's finding that he likes these conversations with his other selfs supposed friends. Luna's and Hermione's especially. Though Hermione is much more opinionated. Ron comes off a bit too strongly, and Neville just the opposite. He likes them just as much, but they seem to make having good conversations a chore. He kind of wishes he could see Ginny more often, if just to feel out their friendship.

"I have Herbology next. What about you?" 

She gave him a delighted smile "I have herbology as well."

"Want to walk together?" He was glad he asked because her face lit up and she put down her fork. 

"Very much so Harry Potter."

"You can call me Harry you know."

"Are you sure?" She asked, dazed voice. 

"Of course. We're friends aren't we?" He started standing up. She followed as she spoke. 

"Oh I hope so. I've never had any friends."

Harry felt a jab of sympathy and anger at himself. He would have to try and include her more. 

"Cmon. Ron and Hermione would probably like to join us." 

Stalking off to the Gryffindor table he noticed a few baffled looks at the Ravenclaw table and then him. He guessed people still had a stupid rule about one house at another's table. 

"Hullo" Luna waved at Hermione and Ron. 

Harry hears Ron mutter "are we really going with that nutter?" But Hermione harshly elbowed him. Luna's warm expression didn't change. None of them deserved her. 

"We wondered if you'd like to walk to herbology with us?" He said, pointedly enunciating the fact that he'd said _with us_ to show that it was come with them or walk alone. 

"Sure. Neville?" Hermione said. Harry could clearly tell she was inviting Neville along and Harry felt a stab of Thanks towards her. 

"Oh uh, yeah. Okay sure." He said caught off guard. 

Unfortunately the problem with meeting new friends was that it was likely to be awkward and full of stilted conversation that Harry would rather bypass. Fortunately, Luna wasn't like other people and made very interesting conversation. Neville even pitched in sometimes. 

Ron and Hermione though, were of course oblivious with all the arguing they were doing.

Once Hermione crosses her arms and 'humphs', walking ahead much quicker, Harry grabs her arm. 

She goes to turn with an angry expression before softening considerably. "Oh, sorry I—I thought you were—" she shakes her head "never mind. I'm sorry—"

"No." Harry says quickly and makes sure no one is listening in. "I'm sorry, Hermione I didn't mean—"

"No it's okay." 

"It's not." Harry says, and then repeats when Hermione tries to convince him otherwise. 

"I was just, angry and I took it out on you—"

"It's okay." She smiles understandingly "lets catch up." 

Harry is reminded vividly about the time that she'd gotten his broom taken away. It was a stupid reason to get angry, and he now knows how very understanding Hermione has been back then too. 

He thinks maybe he doesn’t actually deserve _any_ of his friends. 

Wait. 

The time that Hermione—That never happened. He doesn't even _have_ a broom. When— 

Harry realizes the others have stopped walking as well and he hurries to catch up. 

Harry remembered something.


	12. Chapter 12

**PRESENT**  
Harry was only slightly dazed as he went through herbology and charms and then finally dinner. 

Instead of going to the great hall though, Harry decided that he could just go to the kitchens and then head up to Gryffindor tower and reply to his letter. That was shot down once he realized he had no idea where he was going. 

Trying to think of someone who'd let him get off the hook and head up to the common room he quickly crossed Hermione off the proverbial list. She would convince him to stay and he would rather not. Ron might let him but he thinks he'd just tell Hermione and then, yeah. So no Ron. Neville would, but he probably didn't know they even _had_ a kitchen. So not him either. Ginny? He thinks she'd let him go and he got the feeling she was a rather good secret keeper. As he headed down to ask though, he's bumped into someone, both of their bags spilling. On the bright side, Harry's ink stayed inside the bottle. On the not so bright side, theirs didn't. 

"Watch where you're going you idiot!" Draco said using a spell to clean up the sticky black liquid. 

Harry frowned at the blatant use of insults even as Draco didn't recognize him at first. 

"That's not very nice." Harry admonished picking his stuff up. 

_"You're_ not very nice." Draco said glaring. 

Harry snorted and said in amusement "good one. I'll be sure to write it down." 

"Yes, well that's he only way you'd ever remember any—" the boy stopped mid sentence and Harry lifted an eyebrow. 

Draco then narrowed his eyes, surveying him. 

Harry picked himself up from the floor and put a hand out to Draco but he simply scoffed and whacked his hand away. "As if I—"

"You smell like apples." Harry said suddenly, the smell invading his senses suddenly. He hadn't noticed before. 

"Apples?" He asked momentarily stunned. 

"That's what I said." 

"Whatever." Draco glares and pushes Harry's shoulder. 

Normally, Harry would get angry, maybe insult him back. Harry found though, that pretending that all of this 'fighting' was in good fun was much more entertaining. 

The scene was quickly forgotten though, as he remembered his original mission. Ginny Weasley and Her Directions to The Kitchens. 

Hopefully she wasn't already in the great hall. Luck seemed to be on his side because he found her right before she opened the door. 

"Ginny!" He yelled, racing towards her. 

She was startled into only half opening the door, before smiling brightly and closing it shut again. 

"Harry. What—"

"Do you know where the kitchens are?" 

She looked at him blinking anti-climatically before "Oh. The kitchens, yes I actually heard about them from Ron. Do you want me to show you?" She asked kindly. 

Harry let out a sigh "Yes please. Lead the way." 

"Don't I always." She said teasingly as walked past, smile on her face. 

"Beat you there!" She yelled racing off. 

"I don't know where 'there' is!" Harry yelled back laughing, yet joining her anyway. 

"Not my fault Potter!"  
_______

Harry was currently eating treacle tart sitting on his bed, paper in hand. Harry's visit to the kitchen was actually quite enjoyable. Ginny proved to be an excellent source of fun and had a great, playful personality. Harry remembered hearing Ron idly complain about her and wonders how he did it. He'd met the house elves, one in which took a particular liking to him, though was extremely upset by the fact hat Harry didn't know him. 

_'Harry doesn't knows dobbys?' The house elf said tearfully as he twisted the fabric he wore._

_Harry, on one knee so that they were eye level quickly said 'I'm sure I'll get to know you. You seem fantastic._ ' Harry remembers saying as he subtly glared at a snickering Ginny, sitting on the counter fingers smeared with chocolate. This led to another bout of tears and Harry guiltily tried to escape as soon as possible. He liked the elf, but the dramatics were a little much. 

Harry rereads the letter he is attempting to reply to before coming up with a response. 

_Dear Padfoot and Moony,  
To be quite honest, it is pretty early to get a letter, but I do appreciate it, truly._

Harry stopped and bit his quill to think about what else to say. This seemed to be a habit if the earlier indents were any clue. 

_Hogwarts is great, there's so much magic everywhere and my_

Harry thought for a second, biting his lip before hesitantly putting 

_Friends are very welcoming. That doesn't extend to everyone though, there was a lot of staring in the great hall. Apparently no one told people that my memories are lacking, I'm sure there will be an article about it soon though. My first day was fantastic, I have taken Arithmacy, Care Of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Charms so far. The first two were great, but the second two were a bit boring. Charms doesn't seem like a very intense subject, the spells were a bit dull. About Padfoot... I actually don't know what you mean. He's locked up? Is something wrong with him already? Anyway, I want to know how you're doing, so please reply soon._

Harry took about ten minutes before very tentatively putting down 

_With even more love,  
Harry. _

He shut the envelope before he could change his mind and tied it to a waiting Hedwig. 

"Give em trouble wont you?" He said smirking at her. She nipped his ear and rubbed her head against his cheek before taking flight. Harry immediately felt her absence. 

That was interrupted by his roommates ruckus. Well, Rons ruckus. 

"There you are! Hermione's been a terror. ' _Where's Harry?' 'Is he okay?' 'Should we look for him?'_ Ron said in an overly high pitched voice while his hands mimicked...her mouth? 

"She's been driving me crazy." Neville looked awkward, like he wanted to say something but didn't want to speak out against Ron. Surprisingly though, he said

"Hermione was just worried. Right Harry?" 

Harry didn't want to go against either of his friends—Ron, Hermione, _or_ Neville, so he just shrugged his shoulders. 

"I guess." 

They both looked slightly put out at his answer but Harry was just thankful neither of them looked resentful or angry. 

"We should probably go find her though. Let her know I'm okay." Harry said heading down the stairs. Both Neville and Ron followed as he set it to find her. 

They weren't even quiet when they stumbled upon it. They had already checked the common room and great hall and started heading towards the library when Harry heard unintelligible muttering. 

"Don't you think I'm trying?" Asked an erratic and harsh voice. It was high pitched and annoying. Umbridge. 

Harry quickly moved to lay flat against one of the corridor walls and motioned for the other two to do the same. 

"Oh of course" she said, suddenly all too sweet. "But minister, he doesn't—" she pauses "yes. Yes of course. I—" 

Neville had accidentally bumped into one of the knights armor and Umbridge turned quickly. 

"Whose there?" She demanded. "Come out now or face the consequences." 

Neville, Harry, and Ron stood perfectly still as they held their breath. They would've stayed hidden too if she hadn't started walking closer. 

Deciding the game was over Harry quickly motioned for the others to stay silent as he stepped out. This similar situation was a reoccurring thing back with his captors. 

"Sorry." He said in what sounded like a normal 'student caught eavesdropping' voice. "I didn't mean to—"

"Detention! My office 7:00." She started walking away, her loud clacking heals echoing off the walls when Harry suddenly shouted out  
"What day?" 

"Excuse me?" She asked sweetly as she turned around, wand in her hands. 

"You didn't mention the date." 

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Harry heard Ron almost jump out of the armor in rage but Neville seemed to have kept him back as they barely made a sound. "Thursday." 

She turned on her heel and walked proudly out of the room and the they all collectively let out a breath. 

"Thanks Harry." Neville said relieved and Harry heard Ron speak up. 

"What a toad." He muttered darkly. 

"I don't think Hermione would appreciate your lack of respect." Harry joked. 

"Well she can bugger off! Honestly, Umbridge is a great prat!" 

"Well, yes but I don't think you should say that to Hermione." 

Ron huffed angrily "it's not like we've even had a decent Defense Professor before. Besides Lupin obviously. He'd be a great deal better than" Ron shivered _"her."_

Harry smiled slightly at Ron's over dramatics. 

"What do you think she was saying? To the minister." Neville clarified nervously. 

"Nothing good I'll bet." Ron complained. 

"I think you're just upset because she took house points." 

"Of course I am! And for no bloody reason too!"

"Well, we _were_ kind of eavesdropping." Neville suggested. 

"Of course we were! Look at all our _other_ Defense teachers. Every single one, blimey. You'd think they'd have something better to do." 

"We'd better find Hermione." Harry said. They were gone quite a while. 

Hermione actually _was_ in the library. The table she was occupying was covered in books stacked high and she was frowning at the book in hand, her knees brought up to her chest. A curly hair fell in her face as she pushed it back, the motion repeated again absently after it fell again. Even some of the ravenclaws looked a little wary of the large number of books she was hoarding. 

"I think I'm gonna faint." Ron said looking disgustedly at the books. 

"Oh—honestly." Hermione breathes as she looks up. "Harry! Where have you been?" She asked upon noticing him. 

"Uh, common room. I went to the kitchens though!" Harry said quickly at her look. She calmed down at that. 

"Well at least you've eaten." She muttered, bringing her knees back up after they'd fallen at her surprise. 

"What're you reading?" Harry asked sitting down. 

"Nothing!" Hermione shouted as she grabbed the book out of his hands and covered her notes with it. A couple of students looked at them in annoyance. 

"Real inconspicuous." Harry said flatly. 

"I don't know what you mean." She sniffed. Aaaaaand Ron wasn't even paying attention now. 

"Ron." Harry yanked his sleeve down so that they were both sitting, and with just a look, So was Neville. 

"So really" Harry said picking up a book only for that too to be yanked away. "What're you studying." 

" _Nothing."_ She said now annoyed. 

"Obliviation and Its Effects." Neville muttered aloud as he looked at the book in his hands. 

"Hey!" Hermione whined as she tore the book away. 

"Why're you looking at—" Ron made a noise of pain and Harry deduced that Hermione must've kicked him. "Oh. _Oh._ " Ron said glancing at Harry and then away super subtly. 

"It's okay Hermione. I don't mind." Harry said "I'm thankful that you're trying to help but... it wasn't obliviation or really any type of magic." 

She brightened temporarily until he said magic wasn't involved. 

"What do you mean?" She asked but Neville cut in. 

"Wait, was it electrocution?" Neville asked in a moment of bravery. 

Hermione looked at him questioningly. 

"Oh I uh, I was just interested. In the subject, a while ago." Neville said brightening red. Harry would think it was embarrassment if there wasn't such an intense sadness in his eyes. 

Somehow, both Hermione and Ron seemed to know what he meant and looked away from him pityingly "right." Hermione clears her throat. " _Is_ that what you mean?" 

"I don't know, really." He replied to Hermione. 

"Whatda mean you don't know?" Ron asked. 

"I mean, they didn't actually tell me." 

Hermione looked down disappointed before slowly back up at him with that look that convinced Harry she could read his mind somehow. 

"They?" She asked innocently. 

Harry's jaw clenched and she looked like she wished she hadn't asked. "Yes." He said curtly. 

Neville nodded solemnly and Ron seemed to understand that he wanted the subject dropped but Hermione seemed to not notice. 

"Who—" Hermione looked shocked at the fact that Ron interrupted. 

"Isn't it almost curfew?" He asked. Harry felt a surge of gratitude. 

"Right." Hermione replies slowly. "Our shift is after curfew." She reminded looking at him strangely. 

"Oh right!" He slapped his hand on his forehead even as it was clear he _hadn't_ forgotten "Prefects. Of course. See you then, I guess." He said to Harry and Neville. 

"See ya." Neville replied as they headed out.

Harry gives Ron a half tilted smile before jogging off to Neville.

Harry and Neville didn't see many other people as curfew was soon, and Neville looked too nervous to make any actual conversation. 

Neville reminded Harry of shy smiles and very green plants. Harry thinks Neville might be the example of courageous fear. 

"So" Harry started with a sidelong look "you like herbology, don't you?" 

Neville looked at him in surprise "um, yes." 

He looked like he was struggling to say more. "That's nice. I never really got an interest for it. I had a friend who did, but I thought it was a bit boring."

"I guess that's fair." Neville said shyly. "So...what _do_ you like?"

"I think Arithmacy is great. Although, the teacher seems very, well, patronizing. I suppose it's to be expected from the first course though." 

"Isn't it hard though?" Neville asked. 

"I suppose. If you haven't ever looked into the subject that is."

"But you have?" 

"I guess you could say that. I find it interesting is all. And Care Of Magical Creatures was brilliant too. Do you know what else they teach this year?" He asked Neville excitedly. 

"I think they're bringing in some crups and kneazles. I'm not really sure though, I don't pay a lot of attention." 

"Do you not like the class?" Harry asks surprised. 

"Well." Neville gives a small smile, almost smirk like in nature "the class is fine. But I think Hagrid was a bit upset with his missing firecrab. He never did find it did he?" 

Harry gaped at the boy. "You did that?" He asked astounded. 

"I'm pretty sure it liked me." Neville defended. 

"I would've never expected—" 

"Yeah. People usually don't." He said stiffly before glancing at Harry "Sorry. It's just, people usually think of me as that nervous kid who doesn't actually belong in Gryffindor. It gets a little tiring." 

"What's wrong with who you are?" Harry asked bemused. 

Neville sucked in a breath and fiddled with his hands. "Nothing, I guess. I _do_ get nervous and and I feel like that's all people see me as." He said sadly "maybe I _don't_ belong in Gryffindor." 

"Hey" Harry berated "Hey that's not true. You're braver than you give yourself credit for." 

"How do you know?" He asked unsurely. 

"Because." Harry replies, whispers of shaky confidence—the smell of earth and handmade sweaters and the sound of pages fluttering softly "I can feel it." 

Neville whispers a small "Thanks Harry." And Harry doesn't have to look over to know Neville's tearing up. Harry hears a noise. 

Harry stopped walking at a sudden noise. "Uh you go ahead Nev, I'll be up in a minute." Harry says distractedly. 

"But, Harry—" 

"I'll be up in a minute." Harry repeats kindly. 

Neville rubs his arm and shifts on each foot before quietly "alright." 

Harry hears his feet patter away and feels slight regret before shaking his head and walking towards the source. It's probably nothing, but...Harry just wants to make sure. 

He walks in the hall, complete silence, and starts turning when he hears another clang, like rock on stone. 

Harry looks to see a slightly open door and pushes the wood open with a creak. 

There's a blue glow radiating off of blue flakes that seem to be flying on their own, slowly moving around the room. otherwise it’s pitch black. 

Harry thinks it's beautiful, in an awestricken and terrifying way. The walls are like a caves, spearlike tips that glint dangerously. Harry hears the drip of water and looks down to see water surrounding a stone island, a pedestal with a bowl of swirling blue shimmering inside on top. The sparks seem to be revolving around it, as if there was no gravity. 

Harry steps into the water, rippling and cold, needlelike. Reaching his hand out, he sees his hand is completely and unnaturally steady. 

It's silent, abrasive and frightening. He hears a whisper of something, voices, as his fingertips reach the hovering blue specks. He touches the blue. 

'I've never met someone who tried so hard to save 

and still managed to burn.'

There was a deep, loud noise and with a jolt, the illusion was gone. He flinched away as his head frantically turned. Everything looked different. This wasn't where he was before. 

"Harry" 

Harry yanked himself away from the hand gripping his shoulder to see a concerned Hermione, her hand held to her chest when he had pulled away. 

"I've been calling your name." She says softly. 

"Oh" he says roughly. His hands are shaking again. 

"It's..curfew was an hour ago." 

An hour? He was here for maybe ten minutes? 

"Sorry I—I lost track of...time." He says voice fading off as he frowns around at the normal and empty room. Books strewn, desks cluttered about and a board still chalky with writing. 

"Oh..well, I can escort you—"

"It's fine." He cuts in sharply but pauses when she stands awkwardly and hurt "Uh, it's okay. I'll be fine." 

She nods, not completely convinced, as Harry walks quickly out of the room.

He can't quite see, he knows it _must've_ been an hour because it's completely dark and the only sound is Harry's breathing and quick steps. 

He leans against the stone before he falls over and tries his best to stay out of sight in case a professor catches him. 

He breathes in and desperately tries clearing his head with tightly close eyes and gritting teeth. He didn't know what just happened but he knows hallucinations probably aren't normal for every other wizard. It's like that feeling you get where everything's fine but _something_ isn't quite right. 

Pushing up his half fallen glasses he steps away from the wall and heads up to the Gryffindor common room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this took so long!! Mostly it’s because of school, I signed up for a class I Maybe definitely wasn’t ready for and I’m struggling to catch up. Anyway I swear I’m not dropping this I just have a lot going on (especially with holidays as well as I have a new job) but I will continue writing—it will probably just be more sporadic with longer gaps, sorry!


	13. Chapter 13

**KIDNAPPING**  
Honestly, Harry could say—fairly sure, that the universe was banding against him. 

Harry was pretty confident that wherever he was was someone's torture chamber or something of the like. 

He'd heard someone screaming, the other two remaining strangely unaffected, and realized after about a hundred tries against the cells red shield that the only thing he'd be accomplishing was brain damage. 

The screams had thankfully lessened after a while and not minutes later that redheaded kid from the electric cell was unconscious and being dragged across the hall.

"What is this place?" Harry asks his cell mates, turning from the red spark like force field.

"I guess-"

"Hell." The girl interrupted pessimistically. 

The boy continues pointedly _"I guess..._ they're experimenting." 

Harry stares at the unabashed bluntness "for...what?" 

"Isn't it obvious?" Adrestia asks not unkindly "we're wizards, 'special wizards' whatever that means." 

" _Special wizards?"_ Harry asks unconvinced and confused. 

"Mhmm. Best guess is that they're trying to find out what makes us tick." 

The girl looks up in vehement hate and scoots away from the doorway. 

"You're up." Trevor says from behind the cage with shark like teeth. 

The red blinks out of existence and he heads towards Aceso whose trembling and Harry stumbles in front. He almost regrets it, but he could never bring himself to. 

The man looks at Harry with merciless eyes "well that's not good is it? Can't have anybody—" he yanks Harry's arm " _defying._ " 

Trevor pushes him out of the cell before flicking a switch that makes the red come back to life. 

The other two are looking in pity. Pity pity pity it's all he sees around here. What could be so bad? 

Oliver and Alexander are nowhere to be seen, but Felix—buzz cut, is standing by the door. 

"What happened to Aceso?" He says crossing his arms in a casual manner. 

"Change of plans." 

Harry slammed onto something, a table of sorts, metal and biting. 

"Hey—!" 

The straps on the table were pulled across his wrist painfully. 

"Subject 11, Section 728, Name—Cerridwen."

"That's not—" Harry starts, but his voice is trampled over. 

"Classification XXX, Testing Level 1." 

"What, testing level one and he's already an XXX? Must've given them a hard time eh?" A man jokes that Harry cant see. 

"Let's begin." Someone says, flipping shut a file. 

All Harry knows is pain. Different from the cattle prod, different from his scar different from his relatives. 

The leather cuffs are biting into his wrists and he can feel the table shaking with his lack of motor control. 

He can't think, he can't fight it and he can't think about anything except getting it to stop. 

The second it yields and he's left panting, he thinks that whatever they're preparing for, whatever they want from him, they're going to get it.  
________

 **PRESENT**  
Harry has been thinking. Mostly about the strange mirage he'd seen the day before, and about how utterly annoying Hermione's pestering was. 

Honestly, she needed to get her own life. 

"You're sure you're alright? You didn't get much—" 

"Hermione! I get you want to help, but I'm trying to do my work!" He snaps harshly, making Ron pause I'm eating as he drops food off his fork. 

Someone in the library shushes them. 

"Hey she's just worried. We all are." Ron defends as Hermione fidgets. 

"I know. I know, it's just a bit much is all. You hover." 

"Well _I'm sorry_ I'm worried about you." She huffs standing up. Stomping away, Ron follows her with a look of _'what can you do?'_

Harry thinks Ron mostly just wants to get out of the library. 

Harry sighs and lets his head fall into his palm. When did friends become so hard? Obviously he loved them and they made everything a bit more bearable but with Hermione's constant state of worry and Ron's abnormal amount of attempts at turning everything into a joke, Harry just, he wanted Aceso and Adrestia back. They were never this much trouble. 

He feels bad for thinking it but decides he's entitled to a bit of reminiscence. 

He picks up one of the books on the table and putting his hand up, it floats up onto the right shelf. He stalks out from the library which seems to be becoming their meeting place—that really has to change. 

He's about to head to dinner when he realizes that it's Thursday. He has detention. 

He trudged up to her office in obvious gloom and knocks on the door. 

When told, he opens the door slightly before coming in and sitting in the chair opposite her desk. 

"Mr. Potter. Just on time." She announces in a overly chipper voice. 

"Right. What will—"

"Sit down please." She orders. 

Harry pauses to sit just to look at her with a flat expression because he was _literally_ moving to sit down. Control freak. 

"What—"

"You'll be doing lines, today." She stands to circle around the chair. Harry thinks he might actually be able to get something done if he could finish his sentences. 

"No no. I have something special for you dear." 

She stops him from reaching in his bag and opens the drawer to produce a black raven like quill. Magic is radiating off it. 

"Really, it's fine—"

"Hm hm." She tuts, shoving the pen in his face. 

Harry grinds his teeth to stop from shouting at her to let him finish and he yanks the pen out of her hand, causing her to scowl. 

He gets ready to ask a question but as he opens his mouth she seems to read his mind and interrupts with "you won't be needing ink." 

"What shall I write?" Harry holds the pen over the paper.

She walks around, holding her wand in her hands thinking position, as if she doesn't already know. 

"Let's try, I will do as I am told." 

Harry clenched his teeth which made her smile, showing that she knew she picked the right wording. 

Harry desperately held back any scathing remarks and focused on the paper in front of him. 

_It's one Detention._

Harry sets the pen on the paper, his scratchy writing that hadn't ever been 'trained' out of him flowed over the paper, ink from an unknown source showing black. 

Harry would've continued if not for the itching, and then ripping pain in his hand. 

The quill dropped from his fingers and onto the paper, his hand irritated and torn. She payed no attention. 

"This is a dark object." Harry stares without question, still though, unsure of what the item actually _was._

"Please continue." 

Harry had a sudden unnatural urge to tell her Dumbledore wouldn't allow this, but for all Harry knows, he would. He'd just met Dumbledore after all. 

"This cant be legal." He tries instead, his voice coming out confident. 

"Mr. Potter, I am from the ministry. Don't you think if it was illegal than I nor the ministry would approve?" She states simperingly. 

"No." Harry said. Though, he didn't know the ministry that well either. What if they _did_ allow this and he was just being stupid? He did forget all about wizards, what's to say this isn't an average Detention? 

And she knew that. Umbridge knew that he had no idea, that he had a huge intellectual disadvantage to wizard societal norms. He was stuck. 

"So? Care to continue?" She asked rhetorically. 

Harry breathed in another bout of anger that he was sure if he hadn't dealt with the cage and kidnappings, he'd have snapped. He'd have been wracking up detentions. At least he had _something_ to thank the kidnappers for. Obviously, he wouldn't, but. 

Harry responds with spitefully eagerness as he presses the pen harshly into the paper. He pays for that with a deep cut, but it's worth it to see Umbridge twitch. 

The Detention was strangely short, she'd obviously tried to make him stay as long as she could though, possibly because she was failing multiple times at angering him. 

He walked out of the office with a high head and a hurt hand, but forget about that. He could still get some dinner, if he hurried. 

Harry sees Hermione and Ron in the hall, but thinks he's still a bit miffed so he heads to Fred and George, trying not to imagine their hurt faces. 

"Hey." Harry mutters 

"Why hello—"

"We weren't expecting you—"

"On this lovely day!" 

Harry cocks an eyebrow at their antics and decides Fred is probably a bit more courageous. 

"So." Fred starts

"What's up with—"

"That?" They finish together. 

Harry looks down to see Ron wrestling a chicken bone. 

"They were being a bit much and I needed a bit of a break. But don't tell them, they'll probably feel bad."

"You're secrets safe—"

"With us!" 

Harry smiles lightly before looking at his own plate, suddenly feeling the urge to spill. 

"They were pestering me. They're worried, I know. It's just different and excessive. I'm not used to so much attention."

"You don't sound very—"

"Angry."

"Why're you—"

"With us?" 

"I'm not. I'm not I just need to..."

"Sulk?" George supplies. 

"I don't sulk!" Harry says offended, even more so at their mischievous glance at each other. 

"I _don't._ I just want them to know that I really _don't_ appreciate it—even if they are trying to help." Harry says. Out loud, he sounds a bit childish. Point still stands though. 

They talk a bit more, he occasionally gets senses from George. Things like a bludger, vivid brown and red. He smells almonds, or something like it. He can strongly hear the patter of light rain. His vibe is very much a shy mischievous one. 

They're pulled away though, something about filch and the fourth corridor, and Harry is forced to deal with Hermione and Ron. 

"Hey." Harry says softly. Hermione sniffs and turns her head down and Ron shrugs. 

"Listen... I didn't mean to..."

Hermione's listening, her face still down but looking out of the corner of her eye. 

"I'm sorry if I hurt you. I just hate to worry you, is all." 

"I'm always going to worry Harry." She replies exasperated before softening "but I guess...I can tone it down. _If_ you tell me when something is wrong." Hermione negotiated. 

Harry briefly thought about it before deciding that was a horrible idea and so was telling the truth. "Okay." He muttered, surprising Ron and Hermione. 

"Jus' like that?" Ron asks. 

"Yep. Cmon it's almost curfew and if I remember right it isn't your shift." 

Harry turns and heads to his dorm, the others following. He pushes the guilt from his head and can just barely smell something like rotten milk. He thinks it might be his own psych getting back at him. 

Harry knows that just this once, his feelings are right. He's glad that Ron and Hermione don't get these 'senses' like he does, because they'd know he was lying in a second. 

"Harry!" One of the Gryffindors pull him from his thoughts as he'd opened the Gryffindors common room door. 

"Hello." He says kindly to the unfamiliar face. "I'm Harry." 

They look at him strangely, so he thinks he might know them. 

"Yeah I know. Of course I know, obviously. Who doesn't know? I was just wondering—oh well I know that you don't like your fame but—"

"Hey." He laughs slightly, though it's a bit much Harry doesn't mind. The child looks smaller than him—younger too. He gets an intense vision of flashing and a sudden feeling of annoyance but he discards the thought. 

The boy sticks out a book of some type—history? Harry doesn't know but he bends down a little to take it anyway. what is he supposed to do with this?

The blonde shuffles "could you... sign it maybe?" 

"Got a pen?" He asks casually. 

The little boys face brightens and Harry immediately feels grateful for his decision. 

"Oh—oh! Of course."

Harry grabs the pen "who should I sign it out to?"

The boy stares, wide eyed. "Well me of course." He says laughing nervously. 

"Yeah I guessed" Harry jokes "what's your name?" 

A few kids turn to look at Harry strangely but not for long, and the boy deflated "oh—"

Harry quickly puts his insecurities to rest "I didn't mean it like that, I didn't even remember Hermione. It's not personal." He smiles. 

"Hermione?" 

Blondies face is scrunched in confusion, and a couple of people are whispering but Harry looks to the kid. 

"Name?" 

"Oh uh. Colin—Creevy. What do you mean?" 

Harry signs the book and hands it back. "Oh nothing. I just happened to forget everyone and everything regarding wizards. Night." 

The boy—Collin, stands comically dumbfounded along with the others in hearing range. That'll spread like wildfire Harry figures. 

"Good luck tomorrow mate." Ron laughs. 

Harry gives a light shove with his forearm and Ron bounces back happily. Harry gets a feeling that he'd also felt with George, Ginny even. 

Home. 

"So...do I go to your house a lot?" Inconspicuous. Nice Harry. 

Ron frowns but answers "All the time. Practically live there."

Harry nods, confusion melted away. "What's it like?" 

"Small. Chaotic." Ron laughs self deprecating. "You always loved it though." 

Harry smiles. He knows it's true. 

The rest of their dorm mates show up soon and Harry is persuaded into falling asleep when Seamus turns the light off in the middle of their conversation. 

Laying on his side, Harry dreams.  
_______

 **KIDNAPPING**  
XXXXX. His classification. 

Harry hadn't noticed his first day, was too absorbed in, well being kidnapped. But they had watches (handcuffs). Green, blue, purple, yellow, and red—least to most chaotic, destructive, and dangerous. Aceso was a blue. Harry wasn't quite surprised, aceso was kind hearted and gentle. Kid like in nature. He didn't belong here. Harry felt the need to protect him, because he wasn't about to do it for himself.

He liked painting, he'd once said. Harry was only a little taken aback, he'd always learned painting was for girls. The Dursley's hung up Dudley's drawings but by fifth grade when Dudley had tried paining something, they'd told him to find a 'manly hobby'. Harry had almost felt bad until Dudley's home wrecking tantrum. 

Anyway, Aceso liked painting. He'd like gardening and the sky as well. The guards actually seemed to go easy on Aceso, taking pity. They'd let him borrow half used chalk if he agreed to extra 'testing'. He'd drawn the stars and named each of them. Somehow, in all his forgotten memories, the stars was not one of them. 

Adrestia however, was a yellow. She was almost deemed red, but it was really her manipulating manner in which she spoke that got her into trouble, and not physical ability. She was almost opposite Aceso. Stone like. She could be soft, caring. It always happened for less than a second, but it showed in the way she insulted the guard when it was Aceso's turn. Protecting him. When she _had_ talked—though very little, she had talked of her love for engineering and science. She hadn't remembered, but her hands had. 

Her personality was strange, her humor dark and her core trait was her way in words and persuasion. 

She had her good traits though, the whole hard shell soft interior. She fought hard, she did everything intensely and Harry and Aceso both knew she was more than met the eye. 

Harry wasn't categorized until his fifth testing. 

'Stress reflex.' 

Basically, they fought for their life in harsh environments like cliffs, the dark, underwater. It was always different for everyone. They had to think in panicked situations and figure things out. The survival rate was not high. 

Harry had the fortunate environment of a quiet room. 

It's worse than it sounds. It sounds almost cushy, relaxing. It was not. 

Harry had only his sight, his hearing was blocked out, the only sound being light static and even that was faded and dulled. The room was white, plain and boring. 

Harry had looked, there was no real panic at the moment, nothing had attacked. 

He knew the machine from the first day was on, the weird technology that had maximized and messed with his magic. He also knew the setting was lower, his powers weaker. 

Harry has a suspicion that if they keep using some device that sensitized his magic eventually he wouldn't need it. He was also worried that maybe it'd cause him to go out of control. 

The lights went off. 

Harry fumbled around the walls with his hands before they came back on in a few seconds and a door was opened. Walking in, he saw three pillars. 

A gun, a wand, and a lighter. 

The lights switched off. Back on. 

He turned to a black figure, smoke like and hollow eyes. It had very long claws, and it was hunched over—bones protruding and long crooked fingers. It's eyes were dead, as if they'd gone leaving holes in its head. the skin stretched across bone, accentuated skull. 

Harry didn't move, didn't breath

It's head snaps as if broken to the side in a twisted tilt of the head, it's body making the sound of broken bones as it's spine bends unnaturally, stepping closer in unnatural speed. 

The lights went off. 

Harry backed away quickly—he couldn't see where was it? Was it by him? He felt something on his shoulder. His voice died in his throat. He imagined his throat being torn open while he clawed blindly in the dark, unable to see it. 

The sound of an axe on stone. The hairs on his arms stood up. he could see shadows, almost. He couldn't see it. 

Jumping back—it was his hair, brushing his cheek—something like that, he didn't check. The lights went on. 

In front of him. Sharp long teeth. 

It was smiling. 

Harry looked to the pillars but they were too far—he'd never make it. His heart was beating so loud too loud. It could hear. It looked like it wanted to devour him. His heart felt like bursting from his ribs. 

It was making a low glitchy sound, blaring. It opened its mouth and let out a staccato deep screech. Fear. He was terrified. He couldn't breathe in. He could imagine it—it's sharp teeth sinking in his eyes to match the creatures own. Claws penetrating and imbedded deep. He wished he hadn't. 

The lights went off. 

Harry screamed in terror—absolute terror. He would die, tortured and mauled. Unless he survived unless he _did_ something. 

The creatures screeched again—guttural. It's claws scratching his cheeks leaving a trail of heat—closer to his eyes, and Harry gasped. 

He couldn't feel where the creature was. It was gone he would die it would sink it's teeth in and rip him apart and he couldn't see behind him behind him _**behind him.**_

The lights went on. 

The creatures jaw was unhinged, and it's skull was crushed into itself. The smoke had fallen like ash and ink and the bony monster was pinned to the wall by its own teeth, sharp, long blades protruding from it. 

Two in its hollow eye sockets. 

Harry couldn't bring forth the feeling of regret, only enveloping relief. 

He fell to the floor shaky and horrified. That could've been him. 

Classification: XXXXX.

NOTES  
Hello everyone!! I know I haven’t posted in forever, mostly because of a lack of motivation and recent struggles, but I promise I WILL NOT abandon this story. Stay safe everyone <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shamefully shuffles in*   
> Heyyyyy. So. I’m really sorry about not updating. I truly do plan on finishing this, I just feel I need to flesh out some details as well as write new chapters, and a lot of the things I’m writing currently feel...off. And unsatisfying. So yeah, again, sorry about my absence.  
> ALSO!!  
> I would just like to warn you, there are mentions of torture, PTSD, and just generally some intense stuff.

  
**KIDNAPPING**  
'It should've been impossible.' Adrestia said 'it should have killed you' she said. It wasn't helping. 

He couldn't sleep. Horror raced in his veins and stole away at his skin, thinner thinner. Pale. 

It couldn't get him he knew. It was dead he knew. But the skeletal being and the sound of animalistic screams was buried in his head. 

Aceso comforted him a lot. He was good like that—didn't ask questions but always staying to comfort. Adrestia thought physical affection was stupid but Harry knew it was really touch starvation. He could feel it himself. He held their hands a lot—he said it was for them but he knew it was for him too. 

Brushes on his face had him shooting up, lack of hearing stimulation froze his bones, unwarned lack of light led him into an outside state of being, detached and far away. Dreamlike. 

The other two were taken away less often—Adrestia especially for an unknown reason. Harry was weary and often believed that keeping a light on would drive away the already dead creature. It wasn't rational—it wasn't the light that stopped it, and it was dead. 

Harry wouldn't turn the light off. 

He'd managed to get used to the dark though, through a calm and strange outsider like perspective. 

Lack of sound though—he wouldn't be able to get over that. 

It was strange—you'd think the light was the worst. But it was not hearing it, Harry remembered dealing with the basilisk, a rare memory, and while fearful, he killed it. He'd managed. 

This though—the oppressive silence along with the lack of sight. 

Harry needed sound. 

He'd often tap the floor or breath heavier. Sometimes Aceso would hum for him. He was very kind and Harry appreciated it. 

Adrestia would slip some of her food to him, every once in a while. She would distract the guards sometimes, to get him out of testing. Though she hid it, she cared a great deal. Harry cared for her a lot too. 

They—his kidnappers, were wary. They seemed uncomfortable and suspicious in his presence. 

His ratings went up quite quickly apparently, and that in turn led to extremely taxing sessions. 

They'd started making promises like Adrestia had said 'we'll let you go' 'we'll contact your family' 'these visits will get less frequent' 

They'd even promised to free him once, tempting. 

Harry never agreed though, so instead they turned on the device, a black switch, and Harry convulsed in his place. There was blood and bruises on his wrists for weeks. 

It was like electricity through the brain, like the cruciartus. Harry was losing his mind. 

Apparently it was so they could improve his susceptibility. 

He wakes up in gasps of dreams he forgets, he won't let even Aceso touch him in the dark, he refuses to talk in times like this, essentially closing them off. The worst was the fact that the image of teeth through Harry's own eyes would burn in his mind unrelenting. 

Half the time, Harry was sure he was back, completely sure, the silence and the fear overwhelming. He couldn't tell what was real half the time. 

He'd snap a lot. When he was spoken to. He'd get angry for no real reason—maybe misdirected fear Harry doesn't even know. Aceso would get a bit hurt but Adrestia could always brush it off easily. Harry honestly thought it didn't affect her much. 

Soon, terrifyingly, memories began to sludge together, others would disappear for long instances. Adrestia always seemed very concerned in these moments, Aceso too but in a different way. 

He'd forget small things, certain places he went, what people of no magic were called, what his cousins name was. That one wasn't too concerning. Half the time he was surprised he remembered at all with all the duddykins and... whatever else he was called. Harry knew there was more. He thinks. 

Soon, they started force feeding him information. Magic, science, wandless and silent and all type of different magic, unknown strange magic. He started to forget that he didn't know it in the first place. 

The beginning of his sessions, the information just hadn't stuck. He wasn't great in school in the first place and he'd never really tried—no one really cared. 

But confusion led to pain, so he learned. 

He knew memories were displaced, knew he must've had people he loved, he could remember small details like their hair color and favorite pet. Puckwidgie or something ridiculous like that. He remembered familial feelings but no names. None except his own which he remember vividly. They never could take that. 

The cell became his home, he forgot the other places he'd been, he couldn't remember what good food smelt like or what laughter sounded like, except for the weak rough and small chuckles that were drawn out in moments of sad humor. Relatable humor like 'that's what torture does.' 

Yeah his humor was brainwashed away. 

The child, the girl with the purple watch he soon discovered, was dragged to the room, her body limp in their hands and her feet dragging. She carried a bear. 

Her hair uncared for, matted. Her clothes were rumpled and Harry could see the hollow gauntness to her cheeks. 

She screamed, high pitches—Harry covered his ears and rocked—the sound would never leave, echoing. 

When she was dragged back, Harry could tell. 

She had died. 

They said something like her being a failed experiment. Weak. 

Harry lost it then which resulted in months worth of injuries, but Oliver, someone he'd rarely seen except for the calm moments, brought the teddy bear. 

Harry was sitting on the floor, head bent and panting. Tears on his face. 

Oliver crouched with an expression of sadness that Harry resented and snuck the bear in through the red, somehow with a lack of resistance. 

Harry took it shakily, and though he knew Oliver was a part of all this, he couldn't help but let out a small and tired—hoarse thank you. 

Oliver looked away in guilt or agony or whatever before quickly standing up and practically running away. 

There was a bit of yelling later—not pain but Arguement, before there was more silence. 

Harry clutched the bear with button eyes, and tried to ignore the splotch of wet tears that had been pressed in and absorbed. 

She was six. He'd asked. 

When Harry was six, he remembered thinking that it was the worst day of his life, when he'd been locked in the cupboard for stealing food while listening to Dudley being doted on. 

Harry could never imagine the pain of this child. He wondered where her mother was, and if she was grieving too. Had her own mother loved her as much as Harry's? 

Or if the little girl was just as abandoned as he was, alone and scared. 

He wanted them to _hurt._

He wanted them to _burn._

In the hall, left forgotten, was a shoe. A child's shoe. Pink and dirtied. 

She screamed like him.  
__________

**PRESENT**  
Harry shot up straight, it echoed in his head. He let out a sobbing breath, tearless. 

Harry took out the bag, and dragged out the toy, brown and a bit cleaner due to a charm of some type. 

He laid back down, the small thing in hand, and laid in bed. He would not sleep. 

The sun rose eventually but Harry had not felt any better. He felt sick to his stomach and let the strange feeling drag him away. 

"Are you up?" Neville asked Ron, shaking him. 

"I'm up." Harry answered for him. 

He stuffed the bear under the pillow, mildly embarrassed but mostly out of possessiveness. 

"Oh." Neville said shortly before heading to the bathroom. 

Harry felt childish for it, so so stupid and just. Not Gryffindorish? But when no one was looking, Harry slipped down and looked under the bed before he could change his mind. 

No creature. No smoke. 

He did not feel much better, thinking the creature could appear after he'd looked away, like last time. 

He set himself to getting ready to avoid thinking about it. 

The void was back, swallowing him in numbness and identitylessness. Anonymity. 

"Classes you have?" Ron asked shortly as he pulled on a shirt. 

"Defense with the Slytherins, charms with the Hufflepuffs, Potions with the Slytherins, and Astronomy with the Ravenclaws." Harry answered monotony, attempting to sound natural though not knowing what his natural was. 

"Oh that sucks mate. I got the same, unfortunately. At least we share."

Harry nodded thinking that might be what 'Harry' would do. The feeling slowly starts dissipating, luckily unnoticed. 

"So. Defense. Oh no—" Ron groaned and turned to the others. "It's that Umbridge ministry worker." 

He heard multiple groans and held at ease with the sense of normalcy. 

"Best get on then." Dean answered skipping down. 

Harry felt unfortunate at the mention of Mrs. Maybe Illegal Just Test Me but decided it would only give her more power. 

Walking down with Ron and Hermione Harry ate breakfast, a rather uneventful meal, before they headed to class. 

It was even worse than he'd imagined. 

Class was theory. All theory. Where was the work? Where was the life preparing? 

"What are we supposed to do with a bunch of theory?" 

"Why you learn of course!" 

"Okay, but what's the point if we can't use it?" 

"Why would you need to use that?" She asked genuine confusion lacing her voice. 

Is she honestly that stupid? 

"Well, What if I want to be a policeman?" Harry asked, the word suddenly popping up. 

He heard a couple chuckles before Hermione slunk down and whispered 'aurors'. 

"Auror. I mean." Harry said, red on his neck and fingers twiddling under the desk. 

"Well then you'll go to the academy I believe." 

"You believe. That is reassuring." He heard a couple people laugh as she turned red. 

"Okay well what if someone tries to rob me? What, you want me to repeat the uses of 'theory' to them?" 

She stood straighter before saying a hushed "Detention!" To him. 

"That's not much of a _defense."_ Harry crosses his arms. 

"I can turn that into a week!" 

"You didn't answer my question!"

The worst she could do was hurt him. He was sure she wasn't that impressive. 

"Two weeks!" She shouted. 

Harry leaned back in his chair unperturbed as she huffed. 

"Now" she confidently started again "as I was saying..." 

And that's basically how defense went. Boring, useless, quite tragic really. He likes defense. Maybe? 

Walking to charms Hermione jumps up and down at something in her book. 

"Oh look! Harry Ron look!" She shoves the book in their face. 

Harry only had the chance to read 'but before this, wizards had—' before she scrambled with it back into her own face. 

Ron and Harry looked at each other. _'Pretend you know what she's on about'._ Loud and clear. 

"So so. If you look—wizards in Astronomy learned that—stars, when they implode—because their core becomes..."

Harry mostly blocked out what Hermione was saying—rude but there really was no other way to get through a conversation like this. 

While he did though, he thought. With Hermione chattering like a inhibition lacking squirrel, He was reminded strongly of—

"...which explodes into what looks like a galaxy of normal stars." She bounces as if they understand so Harry smiles and nods, something he'd often done with Aceso. 

"Isn't that wonderful! I mean it seems obvious but really, id never known that! I guess wizards don't get all that interested." 

Harry snorts at that because _interested_ didn't even describe Mr. Galaxy, but doesn't mention anything. He doesn't really want to share Aceso if that makes sense. 

"Yea that sounds brilliant!" 

Ron sounds so confused. Poor Ron. Hermione pretends not to notice bless her. 

She turns to Harry who smiles justttt enough not to arouse suspicion. "That's fantastic. Excited for the class then?"

"Oh yes! It's a normal one, average, but all the same." 

Charms flies by, it takes Harry a while to work the stupid spell but eventually he gets it with his wand. His wand is not helpful. Why do they use wands again? Pointless. 

Potions sucks. 

The teacher is quite frankly the _worst_. Harry doesn't know why. 

Every sense is amplified and his body is screaming danger. The whole class he's watching the teacher out of the corner of his eye, and it doesn't help that he's continuously insulting them. 

"The last time someone brewed something so utterly—"

"Can't you see he's trying?" Harry asks, attitude flaring up. 

"Excuse me?" The man hisses dangerously. Harry's been through worse. 

"You're excused?" Harry replies in false hopefulness. 

"Detention—"

"Oh sorry. Schedules filled up. Might want to take it up with Umbridge." Harry says casually. 

"Trust me, _I. Will."_

Harry thinks he's supposed to act afraid. He's rather glad that he'd saved Neville from a traumatizing experience though, he thinks wry-fully. 

Before going to dinner he is once again interrupted by an owl this time, a letter from Dumbledore at its feet. 

Honestly can't Dumbledore just contact Harry himself? 

He unties the letter gently and sends the bird off before ripping it open and reading the neat cursive. 

And of course, he's been asked to meet Dumbledore again. 

Probably to revisit his rather painful and traumatic events. Fun.

Walking out though, Harry decides that whatever Dumbledore can wait. Not a great decision really. 

He heads out, weather almost too cold, and he sits by a tree by the lake. 

He breathes in the air and wishes he were with Sirius and Remus. He missed them. It was strange, missing someone you weren't exactly fully acquainted with. He might just be lonely. 

The grass outside is still a vibrant green, remnants of rain on each blade. He absently picks at them and waits for the inevitable fallout of ignoring Dumbledore. 

He takes a deep breath that cools him inside and makes him shiver. 

"Granger and Weasel give up on you?" Draco asks snarkily. 

Harry glances back briefly before turning to shred the grass in his hand. 

"Why're you out here?" Harry asks now that he thinks about it "shouldn't you be in the great hall?" 

"Shouldn't you?" He sneers. 

"I'm avoiding Dumbledore." 

He looks surprised at that before blinking it away. 

"Finally come to your senses then?"

"Well he's not very entertaining. He keeps demanding I psychologically damage myself by forcing my traumatic experience out of me." He says lightly, smile almost flickering up. 

The blond snorts before looking horrified at himself, and then, like the final stage of grief, acceptance. 

"Well." He says stiffly "fun." 

It's Harry's turn to snort "yeah. Suddenly sitting in the cold wet grass becomes a fantastic idea." 

Draco looks at him for a long moment before "you don't remember, then?"

"Haven't I said?" 

"It's not some ridiculous ploy on you know who huh?" He leans against the tree. 

"I actually don't, people keep skimming over it."

"You know who?" He asks baffled. 

"No, I don't. Strangely." 

The boy rolls his eyes before lightly nudging Harry with his foot in fake retaliation. The sudden realization that they're being civil though is enough to startle Draco off. 

"Well it's not like you'll even get in trouble. With Dumbledore, what with you being the golden Gryffindor." The Slytherin narrows his eyes before pretentiously lifting his nose up and stalking off. He reminds Harry of drinking cold water after mint gum and loud scoffs of disapproval. He's a bit like Adrestia. But, then again, he sees Adrestia in a bit of everything, so he could be imagining it. 

He walked very very slowly to Dumbledores office. He really didn't want to go. 

"Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said in surprise. "Shouldn't you be meeting with Professor Dumbledore."

Harry shifted in place and her expression cleared. "Yeah." 

She sighed heavily before motioning ahead of her "Well we'll walk together." 

Harry walked with her at a much faster speed than before. "I notice your consistently lowering grade in Defense." She mentioned. 

"Well when you have a teacher like that." 

Her lips twitched up "I guess you can't say it's just bias then. You don't know about the ministry do you?" 

"No I'm not familiar." 

She nodded expectedly and glanced at him without moving her head "if you have any questions—"

Harry nodded "I actually... you said my family was okay except my uncle... I was living with them?" 

"That's right."

"So...my parents..." Harry started. 

She stiffened almost unnoticeably folded her hands. "I was wondering when you'd get curious."

Harry said nothing as they stood outside the gargoyle. 

"They were wonderful people, Harry. I had the great fortune of teaching them. Your father was particularly good in transfiguration but a troublemaker was he. Your mother—well she wasn't the best at transfiguration. It bothered her to death that James was better. She was an exceptional student though." 

Harry took it in, and then on an impulse "Why wasn't I...Why didn't I care? About my grades." Harry asked. 

She blinked back at him startled "wherever did you hear—why do I ask? I think, Harry, that you were greatly influenced by the other, less responsible Gryffindors. Unfortunate really, I always thought you could do better." She answered honestly. 

"Yeah. Me too." He sighed. 

She gave him a strange look before opening the door. "In you go Mr. Potter." 

Harry stepped through and up to Dumbledores office. Harry felt this was a reoccurring scene that was getting quite old. 

"Professor."

"Ah Harry. Please, sit." 

Harry walked over to the chair and sat down, the Phoenix gliding over.

"Hello." He said kindly, awestruck, brushing into her red feathers. 

"She _does_ seem to take quite a liking towards you." 

Harry nodded, already tired of the menial conversation. 

"You wanted to discuss..." 

"Yes yes. Harry, I realize this may be hard for you, but I need you to try remember—do you have any names of the people who kidnapped you?" A long pause "You have to consider the other family Harry." 

Harry feels the twist of guilt and fierce anger at Dumbledore for making him feel ashamed. 

"That's not fair. What you're asking of me." 

"Why is that? Is it really so troublesome?"

"Yes!" Harry shouts standing up, the items on the desk briefly rattling. 

"Yes. It is too much. It's too much." He states shakily. 

"I'm sorry" Dumbledore says after a while "I did not realize the impact this experience has had."

"You should've." Harry cuts sharply. 

"Yes." Dumbledore agrees regretfully "I should have. I have been so very caught up in another family's grief. I was not looking at your own."

"I'm not going through grief." Harry's voice wobbles. 

Dumbledore tilts his head down to look above his glasses "I have lived a very long time Harry." 

Harry shifts unpleasantly "I was in some type of organization, they tested us, I got out. That's it."

"Who did?" 

"How should I know?" Harry shouts. 

Dumbledore places a placating hand up—annoying. 

"I understand your anger, I am merely trying to understand your experience."

"You can't." Harry says calmer. "You could never understand." 

Dumbledore acknowledges with a tilt of his head. "Please, answer at least this, who was there with you?" 

Harry doesn't speak for a while, but gives in eventually. "Two that I saw often. Aceso and Adrestia—Not their real names, but they couldn't remember." 

"Thank you Harry-"

"It won't be very helpful I don't think." He says self deprecating. "They were wizards though."

Dumbledore leans forward intensely "you're sure?" 

Harry nods unsurely "yeah. Yeah definitely. They could do things. Strange things." 

Dumbledore was quite and thankfully he changed the subject. 

"That's very helpful thank you Harry. Do you remember what the place you were held looked like?" 

Harry took a deep breath in and forced his hands to calm down. He swallowed a lump and was relieved when his voice came out weirdly smooth. "It was...dark. All the time. They had cages—all different kinds. There were only thirteen subjects. I was the eleventh. Uh—" Harry pauses to look around the room. 

"The cages were magic. I think. But there was also a good amount of technology. It was almost futuristic. They were interested on wizards, about testing them. Something about creating a better world." 

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Yes, it is as I feared." 

Harry wanted to say _'really? That's exactly what you feared?'_ But he just faced back to Fawkes on his shoulder. The bird trilled amusedly as if she could read his thoughts. 

Dumbledore stood, slowly walking around the room to stand next to the window, looking out. 

"Is that all?" 

"I was rather hoping you'd tell me." Dumbledore said ominously. 

Harry sat in silence for a moment, ready to speak up again before being interrupted. 

"Clara was two years older than you. A talented girl. I don't know if you know this, but she was taken a great deal earlier than you." 

"Why?" Harry asked, cringing at the thought of being there another month longer than he had been. 

Dumbledore sighed solemnly, eyes downcast. "Unfortunately that is not something I can answer." 

Harry tried to rove his mind over the cells and the people he'd seen, but when he tried to think back, his mind came up blank. He'd seen six people, seven including him, in those cells. He isn't sure where the others were kept, but he figured she had been hidden away in a different section from him. 

"Did I know her?" 

Dumbledore turned to him with a sad smile "no I don't believe you would. She was sorted into Slytherin." He said, as if that explained it. 

"Yes but...Luna is a Ravenclaw, and I'm good friends with her." 

"I suppose you are." A minute later Dumbledore spoke again "I believe that will be all." 

Harry stops before turning back very briefly. "Clara...did she have a family?"

Dumbledore looked older at the question and bowed his head. "Parents. And a little brother I believe."

"How old?"

"He's 8, two months ago." Harry blinked back tears, knowing Clara hadn't been there. She might not have even remembered him. 

"Thank you." He said heading out, relief flooding him.

Harry walked down the steps, his mind whirring about. Looking up Harry caught a flash of platinum hair that could be only one person. 

Harry jogged to catch up, his steps not even half as quiet as Draco's. Apparently the other boy was very lost in thought because he jumped back when Harry spoke. 

"Whatcha looking at?" He asked, head just behind Draco's shoulder as he looked at the book. 

The book snapped shut. "That" He said sharply "is none of your business Potter." 

"Ugh we're not over that?" 

"I assume you want something."

"Can't we just hang out?" Harry said in that very familiar tone he'd always use to wind up his captors. 

Draco scowled and looked back from where Harry had come from and his scowl formed to a smirk. 

"The loon want his golden boy for something?"

"He's not a loon." Harry muttered, suddenly realizing this might've been a bad idea. 

"Even now you defend him. Surprising." 

"You just say that because you don't know him." 

Draco scoffed "please. If anything that's _why_ I say it." 

"I suppose you think I'm a loon as well?" Harry said now walking beside him. 

Draco gave him the look equivalent to ' _obviously.'_ Merlin even _that_ sounded pompous. 

"Did you know that Professor McGonagall won't let me on a broom?" 

_That_ got Draco's attention. Said person was now gaping with a scandalizes expression. 

"Exactly. I mean, not that it bothers me all that much, I've never been on a broom but I can't be missing much." 

" _Can't be missing_ —you're Harry Potter!" 

"Astute observation." 

"Come on." 

"What, now?" Harry asked as Draco yanked on his sleeve. 

_"Yes now!"_ Draco yelled. 

Harry honestly didn't think it'd work this well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, I am fully aware and Feeling slightly wry at this admission, but Harry’s feelings, the ones he gets when meeting new people? (AKA the ‘drinking water after mint gum’ for draco)....yes. I admit that this little detail was solely added because I wanted to give everyone an aesthetic. I do not apologize, it is merely self indulgence. Anyway, I really love all the support I’m getting from you guys, it always Spurs me on to creating new chapters. I really wish I could reply to you guys, but any and all attempts at contacting you have failed, unfortunately. Anyway, thank you for being such avid followers and for sticking with me despite my lack of activity. <3

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how often I'll be updating as I'm honestly not a very consistent person so I'm going to have to ask that you bear with me. This will also be posted onto Wattpad under YellowDistress (if you want to see the cover picture or vote for a relationship later on).


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